It could exploit Turkey`s potential as a tourist country and enable cabotage. Turkey remains seen as a promising hub for the Central Asian and Middle East markets. A deeper CU would ensure existing value chains and highlight Turkey`s credibility as an investment objective. Brussels is studying anti-dumping investigations to turn the commercial screw in Ankara, two officials said. Obvious objectives lie in the steel sector, where EU producers have filed complaints, but Brussels could also open investigations into its choice. The trade agreement for coal and steel products is the result of an agreement concluded on 25.07.1996 between Turkey and the ECSC which still existed at the time (OJ L 177, 25.07.1996). (2) OJ L 227, 7.9.1996). These products are now covered by the Treaty, but do not fall within the scope of the customs union. The rules of origin are laid down in Protocol No 1 the Convention. 2/99 of the ECSC-Turkey Joint Committee (OJ L 347, 28.12.1999, p. 1). (212 of 12.8.1999) as amended. Indeed, German MEP Bernd Lange, who chairs the trade committee, said he was not in favour of completely interrupting the relationship “because those who are affected by such actions are often not the ones we want to target”.

He said the EU has “intense economic relations with Turkey, including many car manufacturers that are there. We would shoot ourselves in the foot. The customs union entered into force on 31 December 1995. It covers all industrial goods, but not agriculture (with the exception of processed agricultural products), services or public procurement. Bilateral trade concessions apply to agricultural products as well as coal and steel products. “Turkey has used migration as a weapon and has now used trade as a weapon. What else needs to be done for us to take action? We should suspend the customs union,” said Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, vice-chair of the European Parliament`s Trade Committee for the EPP. In December 2016, the Commission proposed to modernise the Customs Union and extend bilateral trade relations to areas such as services, public procurement and sustainable development. The Commission`s proposal was based on extensive preparatory work during 2016, including a public stakeholder consultation, a detailed impact assessment and a study by an external consultant.

However, the Council has not yet adopted the mandate. The European Union-Turkey Customs Union is a trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Turkey. The agreement entered into force on the 31st.