Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Hisarcıklıoğlu said that he is proud of the Turkish entrepreneurs who have contributed to both the German economy and the Turkish economy and that they are all heroes. Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that there are deep-rooted, historical and economic relations between Türkiye and Germany.

Stating that the trade volume between the two countries is over 40 billion dollars, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Over 3 million Turks, the majority of whom are German citizens, live in Germany. Our people carry out very important tasks in politics, sports and art. I am proud of the Turkish entrepreneurs who have contributed to both the German economy and the Turkish economy. You are all heroes. You are a success story.”

Recalling the Covid-19 pandemic that shook the world economy deeply, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that it was Turkish scientists Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci, who also lived in Germany, who found the vaccine against the pandemic, which showed the effect of the two countries on each other.

Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that 80,000 Turkish entrepreneurs in Germany make a turnover of 80 billion euros per year and employ 500,000 people, “In our country, nearly 8,000 German companies invest 10 billion euros and provide employment for 120,000 people. We are proud of the investments of the Turks in Germany and the German investments in Türkiye.”

Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they attach importance to the existence of the German-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK) as much as the existence of TATSO, and that the mission of the two institutions is to increase mutual investments and trade.

Hisarcıklıoğlu, emphasizing that Germany is the largest economy and locomotive country of the European Union (EU), said, “Germany has always been a determinant and pioneer in Türkiye-EU relations. Every decision that brings Türkiye closer to the EU must have Germany's support. When we look at the agenda of Türkiye-EU relations, we need Germany's support even more. In particular, green and digital transformation, customs union modernization and visa liberalization for Turkish citizens are at the top of these issues. We want to expand and deepen our economic relations with Germany.”

Reminding that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeir gave him the German Order of Merit last year, Hisarcıklıoğlu added that he expressed his gratitude to him on this occasion.

- “We hope to see TOGG vehicles on the streets of Berlin soon”

Türkiye's Ambassador to Berlin Ahmet Başar Şen said that Germany is Türkiye's largest trading partner and that they want bilateral trade to be increased in a balanced manner and that the annual volume will reach $ 50 billion, which is the target set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

In his speech, Şen pointed to Türkiye's Automobile Enterprise Group (TOGG) Executive Director Gürcan Karakaş and said, “I would also like to state that we hope to see TOGG vehicles on the streets of Berlin soon. I would like to remind you that we have been promised the first of TOGGs that we are looking forward to. We are waiting for our TOGG.”

Stating that the trade volume between Türkiye and Germany will increase further with the expansion and updating of the Customs Union Agreement in force between the EU and Türkiye to include e-commerce, public procurement, agriculture and other sectors, Şen said, “Updating the Customs Union will be a very important step for everyone who does business between Türkiye and Germany and aims to do it. We have to work together for this.”

Stating that one of the most talked about issues in Germany recently with the triggering of the energy crisis in Europe is the energy transition, the transition to renewable energy sources and the increase in the share of hydrogen production in the industry, Şen continued:

“Our country, which played a constructive role against the deepening crisis between the Western world and Russia, is expected to play a leading role in overcoming the energy crisis, especially natural gas, with its position, strong economy and experience in international energy projects. Türkiye, which has advanced renewable energy investments such as hydropower and geothermal, has a high potential, especially in solar and wind energy. With its high production power, Türkiye is one of the most reliable partners in the field of renewable energy that can contribute to Europe's security of supply.”

Ambassador Şen, emphasizing that Türkiye is a country that stands out with its favorable competitive environment, investment incentives, advanced legal regulations, geopolitical position, said, “Türkiye with its ease of access to emerging markets, strong production infrastructure, advanced transportation and supply channels, logistics centers, easy access to raw materials and intermediate inputs, qualified labor force, well-trained human resources of 85 million and academic scientific infrastructure,  is a country that stands out in the creation of new supply channels and the diversification of existing ones. Thanks to these strengths, we aim to become the production and innovation center of Europe and our region in many sectors.”

TATSO President Rolf Königs said that he loves Türkiye and the Turkish-German friendship very much and that he will continue to do everything to improve it.

Referring to Napoleon's remark, Königs emphasized his love for Türkiye by saying, “If the world was a single country, İstanbul would be its capital.”