The sixth session of the Türkiye-Germany Joint Economic and
Trade Committee (JETCO), along with roundtable meetings attended by
business representatives from both countries, was held at the
Turkish Ministry of Trade.
As part of efforts to further strengthen bilateral commercial
relations, Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat and German Minister
for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche signed the
“Türkiye-Germany JETCO Protocol.”
Speaking at the meeting, Bolat said the gathering had once again
demonstrated the strength and resilience of the economic
partnership between the two countries, which is built on
deep-rooted ties, mutual trust and shared interests.
Emphasizing that Germany is one of Türkiye’s most important
investment partners and strategic allies, Bolat said the two
countries aim to increase their bilateral trade volume to $60
billion.
He noted that Germany is Türkiye’s number one export market, its
third-largest source of imports and one of its leading foreign
investors.
Bolat pointed out that mutual investment relations continue to
represent a major success story, revealing that Turkish companies’
investments in Germany have approached $3 billion.
Noting that Germany is also the largest economy in the European
Union, Bolat said Türkiye has become an indispensable
manufacturing, logistics and supply hub for Europe. He added that
approximately 70 percent of foreign direct investment in Türkiye
originates from EU countries.
The automotive industry, he said, is among the strongest
examples of this integration.
“With an installed capacity of approximately two million
vehicles, annual production of 1.5 million units and exports
exceeding $41.5 billion, Türkiye has become Europe’s fourth-largest
and the world’s 12th-largest automotive production center,” Bolat
said.
The minister also stressed the need to modernize the EU-Türkiye
Customs Union in line with today’s economic realities.
“As the European Union shapes new trade, industrial and
sustainability policies, including the ‘Made in EU’ framework, it
is vital that these initiatives remain inclusive. It is essential
that these policies strengthen the highly integrated supply chains
that have been built over decades,” he said.
Bolat added that the JETCO Protocol signed today formally
records the progress achieved and the commitments undertaken by
both sides.
“The protocol highlights the activities carried out by our
dedicated working groups and provides a roadmap for our future
cooperation,” he said.
The minister also emphasized the role of Turkish contractors in
Germany, noting that they have successfully completed 397 projects
with a total value exceeding $2.8 billion.
“The combination of Turkish implementation experience with
German engineering and financing capabilities can create strong
partnerships both between our two countries and in third markets,”
Bolat said.
He identified the energy sector as another promising area of
cooperation.
“We are witnessing successful Turkish-German partnerships in
renewable energy investments in Türkiye. We believe these success
stories will multiply in the coming years and create new
opportunities for investors, financial institutions and technology
providers in our countries,” he added.
German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina
Reiche, for her part, highlighted the challenging geopolitical
environment facing both countries, saying that stable and
trust-based cooperation between Türkiye and Germany has become a
pillar of strength in this context.
Emphasizing that Türkiye is a reliable partner for Germany,
Reiche said:
“Türkiye is the European Union’s fifth-largest trading partner,
and its trade with Germany accounts for one-quarter of all
EU-Türkiye trade. This serves our shared interest in growing our
economies, making joint investments and increasing German
investments in Türkiye.”
Reiche said Germany remains a strong market and stressed the
importance of the Turkish market in protecting the interests of
both countries.
“Our investors’ confidence in Türkiye’s strength and market
remains intact. German companies are maintaining, increasing and
undertaking new investments in Türkiye,” she said.
Speaking to reporters after the meetings, Bolat described the
discussions as positive, constructive and promising for the
future.
He noted that Türkiye-Germany relations are progressing well in
both political and economic spheres and said the leaders of the two
countries remain in close contact.
Highlighting that bilateral trade has already exceeded $50
billion, Bolat said:
“German companies rank first among foreign investors in Türkiye,
with 8,600 investors and $26.5 billion in direct investments. These
investments have created hundreds of thousands of jobs and
generated tens of billions of dollars in exports for Türkiye.”
Bolat also emphasized that Turkish investors in Germany are
highly active in terms of employment and exports.
He said the issue of the “Cascade Visa Application System” was
also discussed during the meetings.
According to Bolat, the system has led to improvements in visa
appointments and applications since July 2025.
“Visa rejection rates have declined from around 25 percent to 14
percent. The German side plans to accelerate procedures for
businesspeople, students, artists, NGO representatives and
transport operators,” he said.
Bolat added that Türkiye once again underlined its legitimate
demand for visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.
Regarding EU-related issues, he said the German side had clearly
expressed its support for updating the Customs Union.
“Especially at a time when protectionist trends are gaining
momentum around the world, they clearly stated that they support
preventing any damage to economic, industrial and trade relations
with Türkiye during Europe’s industrial transformation and efforts
to enhance competitiveness. They also affirmed that they would
adopt a position aimed at preventing any harm to economic relations
between Türkiye, the EU and Germany,” Bolat said.