ATO PRESIDENT BARAN: "VISA ISSUES ARE A SERIOUS OBSTACLE TO OUR MEMBERS' TRADE"
30-01- 2025- Gürsel Baran, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO), emphasized the importance of Germany's positive and supportive stance in Turkey's EU membership process and relations, stating, "We expect this support to continue in the areas of updating the Customs Union, Green Deal, and visa liberalization. Visa issues are creating a significant barrier to our members' trade."
German Ambassador to Turkey, Sibylle Katharina Sorg, visited ATO President Baran at his office. During the meeting, Baran addressed the Ambassador, highlighting Germany's role as Turkey's largest trade partner and one of the key drivers of the global economy. He mentioned that the trade volume between the two countries was nearing 50 billion dollars and recalled that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had set a trade volume target of 60 billion dollars during his recent meeting with German President Steinmeier. Baran expressed confidence that the target would be achieved and emphasized ATO's readiness to contribute to this goal.
Baran also shared information on the mutual investments between the two countries, noting that over 8,000 German-invested companies in Turkey contribute nearly 13 billion dollars in investments and provide employment for around 200,000 people. In turn, around 100,000 Turkish businesses in Germany generate more than 50 billion euros in turnover and employ approximately 500,000 people.
He also highlighted the significance of the 100th anniversary of the Turkey-Germany Friendship Agreement in 2024, stressing that more than 3 million people of Turkish descent living in Germany play a crucial role in shaping the bilateral relations. Baran added that German-branded products, including automobiles, are frequently preferred in Turkey.
VISA OBSTACLES TO TRADE
Baran underlined the special bond between Germany and Turkey, noting that the visa issue poses a major obstacle to commercial relations. "Germany's positive and supportive stance is highly valuable for us. We expect this support to continue in areas such as updating the Customs Union, Green Deal, and visa liberalization. The challenges with visas are a serious hindrance to our members' trade," he stated.
GERMAN PARTNERSHIP IN INVESTMENTS
Baran also mentioned areas where mutual investments and trade relations could develop further. He pointed out that his company, Aykimtaş Anadolu Yapı Kimyasalları, has a partnership with MBT Teknik Yapı Kimyasalları, which is collaborating with the German giant, Master Builders Solutions. He noted that ATO is in dialogue with the Turkish-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry to enhance trade relations between the two countries.
JOINT INVESTMENT PROPOSAL
German Ambassador Sibylle Katharina Sorg, during her remarks, recalled her commitment to contributing to the development of relations between the two countries when she presented her letter of credence to President Erdoğan. Ambassador Sorg emphasized that joint efforts between Turkey and Germany could be key to addressing challenges and exploring opportunities in regions such as Syria and South Africa for future investments.
The visit was attended by ATO Vice President Temel Aktay and Board Members Ali İhsan Güçlü and Halil İlik. Also present were First Secretary Florian Burkhardt and the Head of the Economy and Trade Department at the German Embassy.
