GEOPOLITICAL UNCERTAINTIES ARE RESHAPING EUROPE’S COMPETITIVENESS AGENDA

Held as part of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, the panel titled “Europe’s Competitive Strength in an Age of Geopolitical Uncertainties” featured significant messages on Europe’s economic future, Türkiye-EU relations, strategic autonomy, energy security and industrial transformation. Organized in collaboration between the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) and the ADF, the panel comprehensively addressed how Europe will position itself in global competition and Türkiye’s role in this process. The panel, moderated by President of DEİK Nail Olpak, was attended by Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Development Cooperation, and Humanitarian Affairs; Mihai Popşoi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova; Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland; Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence of Ireland Thomas Byrne and Türkiye’s Deputy Minister of Trade Mustafa Tuzcu.

“EUROPE’S COMPETITIVE STRENGTH DEPENDS ON THE STRENGTH OF ITS PARTNERSHIPS”

Speaking at the opening of the panel, President of DEİK Nail Olpak noted that the business world no longer evaluates competitiveness solely in terms of price, quality, speed and financing, emphasizing that predictability has become critical for the global economy.

Highlighting Türkiye’s status as a candidate country for the European Union, Olpak noted that structural issues in Türkiye-EU relations have remained unresolved for many years, and emphasized that the delay in updating the Customs Union affects not only the current generation but also future generations.

Noting that Türkiye and Europe cannot be considered separately from an economic perspective in a period of increasing global uncertainty, Olpak said that strengthening partnerships holds strategic importance for both sides. Olpak underscored that Europe’s competitive strength is directly linked to stronger business collaborations that include Türkiye.

BETTEL: “EUROPE MUST ACT AS A TRULY UNIFIED SINGLE MARKET”

Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Xavier Bettel, noted that Europe needs a more coordinated industrial policy to enhance its global competitiveness. Bettel stated that Europe currently operates under the logic of 27 distinct national markets, and stressed that creating a truly integrated single market is of critical importance. Bettel noted that energy costs, environmental standards and social policies are putting pressure on production costs, but stressed that Europe must establish a balanced economic model without compromising its core values. Highlighting that the rules-based global system is increasingly weakening, Bettel stated that rising geopolitical fragilities are making economic predictability more difficult. Touching on Türkiye-EU relations, Bettel said that both sides must act with a “win-win” mindset.

CALL FOR GREATER INTEGRATION FROM MOLDOVA

Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popşoi, meanwhile, described the European Union as “one of the world’s most successful economic and peace projects.” Noting that the path to enhancing Europe’s competitiveness lies in deeper economic integration, Popşoi stated that the European economy could achieve much higher growth potential if the barriers to a true single market were removed. Highlighting that Moldova has made significant progress in the fields of energy, security and the economy thanks to EU support, Popşoi emphasized that Türkiye is one of Moldova’s key trading partners. Popşoi stated that they wish to further develop economic relations with Türkiye and noted that this cooperation is also important for regional stability.

ICELAND: “COMPETITION IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE ECONOMY”

Iceland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, stated that the European Union is a strong structure shaped not only by economic factors but also by shared values.

Gunnarsdottir, noting that Iceland supports the idea of EU membership despite not being a member itself, expressed that Europe must act as a stronger global actor. Emphasizing that competitiveness is not limited to economic growth, Gunnarsdottir stated that concepts such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law are also among the fundamental elements of Europe’s competitive strength. Gunnarsdottir noted that shifting global balances necessitate stronger integration with Europe, adding that Europe must strengthen its strategic unity.

BYRNE: “WE WANT STRONG RELATIONS WITH TÜRKİYE”

Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne, noted that the European Union is fundamentally a peace project, highlighting the importance of striking a balance between economic growth targets and social and environmental policies. Byrne stated that efforts to reduce bureaucracy within the EU and strengthen the single market are ongoing, adding that green and digital transformation processes are reshaping the European economy. Byrne noted that they are open to developing relations with Türkiye and expressed a desire to build stronger ties with Türkiye and other countries in the region.

TUZCU: “TÜRKİYE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF EUROPE’S TRANSFORMATION”

Speaking on behalf of Türkiye at the panel, Deputy Minister of Trade Mustafa Tuzcu stated that Türkiye plays a central role in Europe’s economic and strategic future. Tuzcu noted that the EU has set goals to close the innovation gap, achieve carbon neutrality and reduce strategic dependencies through its “Competitiveness Compass” approach and emphasized that these goals cannot be achieved without strong economic growth. Noting that Europe has demonstrated low growth performance over the past 20 years and that its share of global exports has declined, Tuzcu said that the EU is placing greater emphasis on economic resilience and strategic autonomy in the new era. However, Tuzcu emphasized that some industrial policies currently in place carry the risk of excessive regulation and isolationism and stated that Türkiye holds critical importance for Europe in terms of energy, industrial, food and logistics security. Noting that Türkiye, with its young and dynamic population, could contribute to addressing Europe’s growth challenges, Tuzcu stated that the current Customs Union framework is insufficient to address today’s economic realities. Tuzcu emphasized that a comprehensive update encompassing services, digital trade and public procurement has become imperative and stressed that Türkiye is not merely a partner but an integral part of the process regarding the EU’s strategic autonomy and industrial transformation goals. The panel’s sponsors included Eksim Holding, ETİ, Glory Group, Hayat Holding, Roketsan and Türk Altın.