Concluding remarks by the Chairperson

1. This fifth Trade Policy Review of the Republic of Turkey has been an excellent opportunity for us all to improve our understanding of Turkey’s trade and trade-related policies and practices and how they have evolved since the previous review in 2007.  We are grateful for the active participation of the Turkish delegation headed by H.E. Mr. Cemalettin Damlaci, Deputy Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy.  I would also like to thank the discussant, H.E. Ambassador István Major of Hungary, and Members of the TPRB for contributing to our fruitful exchange of views. 

2. Members commended Turkey for its impressive recovery from the global financial crisis, having capitalized on structural reforms undertaken in response to past crises.  Noting that Turkey has set ambitious targets for its economy by 2023, to be achieved with the development of an export-oriented production structure, Members sought more information on how Turkey intended to attain its goals. 

3. Members appreciated Turkey’s active participation in the WTO and its commitment to a strong and effective multilateral trading system.  Although the dominance of the EU has become less pronounced in Turkey’s foreign trade over the last four years, Turkey is closely linked to the EU through the customs union, and Turkey’s negotiations to ultimately become an EU Member.  Many questions were raised about Turkey’s participation in preferential trade agreements and on-going negotiations to expand the network of trade preferences even further.  Turkey’s GSP scheme, whereby Turkey extends preferences unilaterally to other developing countries, and in particular LDCs, was highlighted and appreciated.

4. Although Members found that Turkey had relied on macroeconomic measures to exit successfully from the shocks caused by the global financial crisis, some evidence of recent trade restrictive measures was also highlighted and examined.  Areas for further reform were also identified.  Action on these fronts would enhance the competitiveness of the Turkish economy and contribute to sustained economic growth, to the benefit of Turkey and its trading partners.  In particular, Turkey might give consideration to the following points: 

• Tariffs: The gap between Turkey’s applied tariffs and its commitments within the WTO framework is considerable.  While Members would expect significant efforts from Turkey to reduce this gap in the future, Turkey should also be careful not to exploit this “policy space” to the detriment of its trading partners in the interim. 
• Trade remedies: Turkey has become a major user of anti-dumping and safeguard measures.  I note the slowdown in new anti-dumping investigations as a positive sign, but also that some concerns were raised about recent decisions to extend certain safeguard measures and whether these decisions had complied with all the requirements of the WTO. 
• TBT and SPS: Turkey was encouraged to improve its procedures for the publication and notification of draft technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.  Turkey was urged to ensure that its SPS measures not be maintained without scientific evidence nor be more trade-restrictive than necessary.
• Government procurement: Some Members encouraged Turkey to remove the existing price preference for domestic suppliers in public procurement and consider accession to the Government Procurement Agreement at the earliest possible stage.  
• Intellectual property: Several Members noted that the protection of intellectual property had improved in Turkey, and encouraged the authorities to continue their efforts to ensure more effective enforcement of IPRs.
• Agriculture: Some delegations noted that Turkey’s agricultural sector has become less market oriented with increasing levels of subsidies, and a shift towards more trade-distorting forms of support.  Enhanced transparency in the market interventions of state-owned enterprises was called for.  Turkey should also keep Members regularly informed by providing accurate and timely notifications on domestic support and export subsidies to the WTO. 

5. This successfully concludes our fifth Review of the Republic of Turkey.  The large number of advance questions and the many interventions by Members indicate the important role of Turkey in the multilateral trading system.  Turkey’s recent economic performance is a success story which we would all like to see continued in the years to come.