European Union (EU) Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis held a joint press conference with Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek after the Türkiye-EU High-Level Economic Dialogue meeting in Istanbul. Dombrovskis said Türkiye is a candidate country for EU membership, an important NATO ally, and a key regional partner in security and stability.
Noting that the EU and Türkiye are 'neighbors and partners' in a world facing mounting challenges, Dombrovskis said, 'Building and maintaining strong partnerships based on trust is more important than ever.' He added that both sides have a common interest in strengthening cooperation and economic ties in trade, investment, economy, security, and defense.
Sharing data on bilateral trade volume, Dombrovskis reported that trade between Türkiye and the EU exceeded 217 billion euros in 2025, reaching a record level. He stressed that Türkiye remains the EU's fifth-largest trading partner.
Dombrovskis said they welcomed Türkiye's official announcement of its intention to join the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). He described the move as a positive development in strengthening economic integration between the two sides.
Pointing out that international financial institutions can play an important role in supporting transport, energy, and digital infrastructure projects, Dombrovskis expressed his satisfaction with the European Investment Bank (EIB) resuming financing for clean energy and energy efficiency projects in Türkiye. Noting that Türkiye is one of the countries where the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) operates most extensively, with operations exceeding 2.7 billion euros, Dombrovskis added that the Northern Istanbul Railway Corridor project serves as an example of cooperation between development banks in supporting regional connectivity.
