By News Centre

Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat met with Spain’s First Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Economy, Trade and Business Carlos Cuerpo
Caballero in Madrid, holding high-level discussions aimed at
deepening bilateral commercial ties.

Announcing details of the meeting via his social media account,
Bolat stated, “As part of our visit to Spain—one of our most
critical trade partners within the European Union—we held a highly
productive meeting in Madrid with First Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Economy, Trade and Business, Mr. Carlos Cuerpo
Caballero. During our meeting, we comprehensively addressed our
bilateral commercial and economic relations with Spain, a strategic
partner, friend, and ally. We evaluated concrete steps to carry our
existing economic partnership even further, agreeing to hold the
4th Term Türkiye-Spain JETCO (Joint Economic and Trade Committee)
Meeting in Madrid this coming autumn, with strong participation
from the business communities of both nations.”

Noting that global and regional economic developments were
thoroughly reviewed during the talks, Minister Bolat emphasized
that Türkiye-EU economic relations formed a major topic on the
agenda.

“In this framework, we shared our expectations regarding the
modernization and more effective operation of the Customs Union,
which forms the foundation of our strong economic integration with
EU member states,” Bolat explained. “We exchanged views on public
procurement as one of the priority areas that could elevate our
economic cooperation to a higher level. Furthermore, we evaluated
recently enacted EU trade, competition, and industrial
policies—most notably the Net Zero Industry Act (Industrial
Acceleration Act). We emphasized that shaping these policies with
an inclusive approach that encompasses Türkiye will contribute
significantly to both the EU’s competitiveness and Europe’s broader
economic security.”

Bolat added: “On the occasion of our meeting, we congratulated
Spain on its FIFA World Cup championship. Expressing our deep
sadness over the recent forest fires in Spain, we reaffirmed
Türkiye’s strong support for friendly and allied Spain during this
difficult process.”

Highlighting Spain’s status as Türkiye’s fourth-largest trade
partner within the European Union, Minister Bolat shared ambitious
growth targets for bilateral commerce.

“We aim to increase our annual bilateral trade volume with Spain
from last year’s $20.5 billion to $25 billion in the medium term,”
Bolat stated. “Within the framework of the vision set forth by our
President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we firmly believe that the
deep-rooted friendship and strategic partnership between Türkiye
and Spain will grow even stronger in the upcoming period, built
upon the innovative initiatives of our business community and
mutual trust.”