Foreign Trade Policy

Due to the implementation of the liberalization process since the 1980s, the Turkish economy has experienced a period of high growth. Foreign trade, both in exports and imports, has grown rapidly and noteworthy changes in the structure of exports have taken place. The dominant role of agricultural products in exports came to an end in favour of industrial products. At the same time the product composition of exports diversified and the volume of foreign trade increased about three-fold in that decade.

The Customs Union established with the European Union and the conclusion of the Uruguay Round are the main determinant factors shaping Turkey’s foreign trade policies and orientations. The Customs Union incorporates Turkey into the single European market by extending most of the EU’s conventions on trade and competition to Turkish industry.