Türkiye-EU Agricultural and Food Cooperation Placed on the Agenda in Brussels
At the program titled “Towards a More Competitive and Sustainable Agricultural and Food Value Chain” held in Brussels, the necessity of strengthening cooperation between Türkiye and the EU in the agricultural and food sectors was emphasized.
Organized by the Permanent Delegation of Türkiye to the EU and the Türkiye Exporters Assembly (TİM), the program “Towards a More Competitive and Sustainable Agricultural and Food Value Chain” took place in Brussels. Hosted by Türkiye's Permanent Delegate to the EU, Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı, and Chairperson of the TİM Fruit and Vegetable Products Sector Board, Melisa Tokgöz Mutlu, the event was attended by Elisabetta Siracusa, Director for International Relations at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, along with representatives from EU institutions and stakeholders from the food and agricultural sectors. Within the framework of the event, issues such as sustainability in agriculture and food, food security, combating climate change, and innovative solutions were addressed.
“Cooperation is not a choice but a necessity”
In her opening remarks, Chairperson of the TİM Fruit and Vegetable Products Sector Board, Melisa Tokgöz Mutlu, underlined that agriculture is not only an economic matter but also establishes a strategic and humanitarian connection.
Highlighting that climate change, biological threats, and food security concerns render Türkiye and the EU inseparable, Mutlu stated, “We face the same risks, and the expectations of our consumers are also highly similar. Therefore, cooperation is not a choice but rather a necessity.”
Mutlu further expressed that the EU and Türkiye can develop innovative projects to tackle climate change, produce joint solutions in water management, and establish early warning systems against biological threats, drawing attention to the fact that Türkiye is not merely a supplier but also a partner that shares the same values. Mutlu added, “Let us advance this partnership further and establish an agricultural food system that ensures security for our region.”
“The Customs Union must also encompass agriculture”
Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı, Permanent Delegate of Türkiye to the EU, emphasized the global significance of the agricultural and food sectors, recalling that the challenges experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic revealed the strategic value of this field.
Kaymakcı noted that Türkiye's agricultural GDP stands at around 75 billion dollars and that the sector continues to grow rapidly despite not benefiting from the EU's Common Agricultural Policy. Reminding that agricultural trade with the EU amounts to 12 billion euros, Kaymakcı said, “Updating the Customs Union to include agriculture as well would serve the interests of all parties.”
“We must work together for food security and sustainability”
TİM Brussels Representative Mehmet Tan also stressed that agriculture and food are of central importance not only in terms of trade but also regarding food security, environmental sustainability, and rural development.
Tan said, “We must find innovative solutions to challenges. We need to better understand one another, address regulatory issues, invest in innovation, and make our value chain more sustainable.”
New areas of cooperation in agriculture and food discussed
Elisabetta Siracusa, Director for International Relations at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, provided assessments regarding agricultural trade between Türkiye and the EU within the scope of the “EU Agricultural and Food Vision.”
At the roundtable meeting organized as part of the program, topics such as strengthening food safety standards, facilitating customs procedures, sustainable trade practices, innovation, and digital transformation were discussed.
The event concluded with a reception attended by numerous guests.