The agreements underline a renewed push by Türkiye and the UK to expand trade links and modernise their post-Brexit economic relationship…reports Asian Lite News
Türkiye and the United Kingdom have signed a package of agreements aimed at deepening trade and economic cooperation during the eighth term meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee, known as JETCO, held in London. The deals were concluded during an official visit by Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat, underlining the importance both governments attach to strengthening bilateral commercial ties at a time of wider global economic uncertainty.
At the centre of the new arrangements is a JETCO Action Plan comprising 16 concrete measures intended to advance cooperation across a range of sectors, alongside a Mutual Recognition Agreement designed to ease regulatory barriers and facilitate trade. The agreements were signed as part of the London meeting, which brought together senior officials and representatives from both countries to assess progress since the previous JETCO round and to map out priorities for the years ahead.
In a statement shared on social media following the talks, Bolat said he met with the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Peter Kyle, within the framework of the JETCO meeting. He said discussions focused on bilateral trade and economic cooperation opportunities, as well as new trade and investment prospects built on mutual trust and a win-win approach. The emphasis, according to Bolat, was on identifying practical steps that could help businesses on both sides navigate regulatory systems more smoothly and unlock new areas of growth.
Bolat said that alongside the JETCO Protocol, the two sides signed the JETCO Action Plan, which he described as playing a key role in advancing and deepening bilateral cooperation, as well as the Mutual Recognition Agreement. Such agreements are often seen as particularly significant for exporters, as they can reduce duplication in conformity assessments and help products reach markets more quickly, lowering costs for companies and consumers alike.
He also noted that significant progress was made during the talks towards updating the Türkiye-UK Free Trade Agreement, which has governed trade relations between the two countries since the UK left the European Union. While no timetable was announced, the comments suggest momentum behind efforts to modernise the agreement to reflect changes in global supply chains, digital trade and services. Bolat said he believes the productive discussions and the agreements signed in London will bring new momentum to the Türkiye-UK economic partnership.
The UK is one of Türkiye’s most important trading partners, with bilateral trade running into tens of billions of pounds annually, and officials in Ankara have repeatedly stressed their ambition to expand this further. Bolat said Türkiye would continue efforts to strengthen trade and investment relations with the UK and to elevate bilateral trade ties to the level of a strategic partnership. He also expressed hope that the longstanding friendship between the two countries would continue to grow economically, reflecting a broader desire on both sides to anchor commercial cooperation in a stable political relationship.
Beyond government-to-government talks, Bolat said he also held meetings in London with Turkish private sector umbrella organisations and with leading UK companies and institutions. During these discussions, he highlighted Türkiye’s young and qualified workforce, its geographic advantages for access to new markets across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and its comprehensive investment incentive programme as key factors in attracting foreign investment. Such messages are part of a broader push by Ankara to position Türkiye as a competitive manufacturing and logistics hub amid shifting global production patterns.
He added that the meetings also included an evaluation of the tangible benefits of the memorandum of understanding signed with the UK on cooperation in third countries in the contracting sector. This agreement is intended to encourage Turkish and British firms to work together on projects in other markets, combining expertise and resources to compete more effectively for international contracts. Bolat said he hopes the latest round of talks will open the door to new investment opportunities and partnerships as a result.
For the UK government, the JETCO meeting forms part of a wider strategy to strengthen economic relationships beyond the European Union while supporting domestic growth. Officials have indicated that closer ties with Türkiye could offer opportunities in areas ranging from manufacturing and infrastructure to services and technology. The agreements signed in London signal an intention on both sides to move beyond broad statements of intent and focus on detailed mechanisms that can support trade and investment in practice, even as negotiations over updating the free trade agreement continue.
