Updates to EU Customs Union deal to ensure Turkey's TTIP involvement

Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci yesterday underlined the importance of updating the Customs Union agreement with the EU and deemed it Turkey's most important recent success regarding the EU. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Zeybekci said that the Memorandum of Understanding, which will be signed in Brussels next week, for updating the Customs Union cannot be continued on its current terms since Turkey has no say in any of the decision mechanisms under the current agreement. In this respect, he said that the time for updating the process has come, and that it must end in Turkey's favor. If Turkey is included in the decision-making processes of the EU, then any free trade agreements signed or that will be signed by the EU with third countries will mean Turkey is automatically party to the agreement and will ensure the freedom of movement of Turkish goods. "We have agreed on four main areas; extension of services, public purchases, agriculture and food as part of the Customs Union," added Zeybekci. He said that legal negotiations have commenced and 2016 is an unwritten target date. He said the hopes of a quick solution will be reached with the new updated Customs Union agreement, which will ensure that Turkey is automatically a party in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement to be signed between the EU and the U.S. When asked whether they have alternative plans if Turkey cannot become a party to the TTIP, Zeybekci said that they will not allow Turkey to be left out of the TTIP agreement and they would definitely not agree to such a decision.