Turkish Companies to Prepare for Green Transformation with DEİK

Zeynep Bodur Okyay, Coordinator Chair of the Turkey-Europe Business Councils at the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK), said that since its establishment, the EU has played a leading role in material prosperity, scientific and technological advances. Okyay stated, "The important issues that the EU prioritizes and will guide not only Europe but all economies doing business with Europe in the coming period are featured prominently on the agenda of DEİK/Turkey-Europe Business Councils. The European Green Deal is one of them."

Recalling that the European Green Deal project, which aims to make Europe the first "climate-neutral" continent, was announced by the European Commission in December 2019, Okyay said, "With the European Green Deal project, we will see that while the rules of industry and trade policies are being rewritten, issues related to social, environmental and human rights will also play a decisive role in trade."   Okyay noted that since the EU is Turkey's largest trade partner, the European Green Deal project directly concerns the Turkish business world, and stated: "The Turkish business world needs to implement green transformation in industry in line with the Green Deal regulations. The Green Deal brings certain risks. However, instead of succumbing to despair, I believe that the pressure of green transformation will actually enable us to use our competitiveness and sustainability more effectively. Seeing that circular economy is at the heart of the Green Deal, the Turkish business world that does its job well can become increasingly important, ensuring that Turkey is indispensable for Europe in the global supply chain."

Okyay announced that DEİK has launched the "Green Transformation in Industry" project to prepare Turkish companies for green transformation, and emphasized that with this project they aim to create a roadmap that will inform companies of developments in the Green Deal area and help them take necessary measures.

Noting that with digital transformation, an increase in the proportion of high-technology products in Turkey's exports is expected, Okyay continued: "Our Ministry of Industry and Technology is working on this. As Business Councils, we believe that the technology-focused entrepreneurship ecosystem will play an important role in developing economic and trade relations between our country and the EU. The recent global successes of our startups are impressive. We see that this field can be developed between Turkey and the EU through concrete projects in a win-win framework." DEİK Turkey-Europe Business Councils Coordinator Chair Okyay recalled the words of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her visit to Turkey: "Our focus for developing cooperation will be green and digital transformation," and stated, "When von der Leyen said this, she also gave a green light for updating the Customs Union. As DEİK/Turkey-Europe Business Councils, we are closely monitoring the modernization of the Customs Union."             Source: AA