Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Speaking at the meeting, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said in regards to the preparations of the action plans for 2013-2014, “We’ve rolled up our sleeves as the private sector. Preliminary work has been completed by our private sector workgroups comprised of chamber and sector council representatives. We held the Joint Meeting of the YOİKK Private Sector Workgroups at our Union in May. It was attended by representatives from our chamber and exchanges as well TİM, TÜSİAD, YASED, TESK, MÜSİAD, TZOB and other private sector institutions’ representatives. In June, we presented the action proposals of the private sector at technical committees meetings. The 44 article action plan includes a significant amount of our proposals. I would like the secretariat and the institutions.”

Drawing attention to the importance of the action plan, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The global economy is undergoing a critical period. Countries which smooth the way for the private sector first will win the most. Our goal is to be one the world’s 10 largest economies and to have a GDP of 2 billion USD. Turkey is lucky in this regard: We have a private sector-focused government.”

- “Businessmen who produce and provide employment should not be condemned to uncertainty”

Expressing his gratitude for the new employment incentive law which is replacing #5084, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that their most important mission is to find employment for 800,000 new people who join the workforce each year. Emphasizing that incentives need to be simple and understandable, the TOBB President said, “There should be rewards, not penalties. The legislation is very complicated, there are too many rules. It should be made sure that those who obey the legislature are rewarded and benefit more from the incentives.”

Touching on the Work Health and Safety Law, Hisarcıklıoğlu went on, “The rules must be set aright from the start. Businessmen who produce and provide employment should not be condemned to uncertainty. We stated that the duration was too short while the legislation was still being prepared. We stated that SMEs would not be able adapt. The duration was extended to 2014 and 2016 last week. There can still be problems. We must plan carefully.”

Reminding that Turkey is, according to OECD data, the first country among 40 countries, 30 of which are OECD countries and 10 of them developing countries, in terms of employment indemnity severity, the TOBB President said, “We have benefit severance as well as unemployment insurance; job security as well as limited unpaid leave of absence. We encourage off the record economy this way. We must transition to flexible working conditions.”

- “The way of doing business in the world has changed”

Stating that the Environmental Impact Assessment Process is a very long period, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The environment is important for all of us. It is our inheritance to our children. The bureaucratic processes should not be overly long. The biggest complaint of our members is the Environmental Impact Assessment Report, which takes years to complete. Many investors give up while waiting for it. This is unacceptable.”

TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu, touching on the subject of logistics, went on, “The burden falls to both the Foreign Trade and Customs Committee and the Infrastructure Committee. The way doing business in the world has changed. In the past, it was enough to produce cheaply. Now, the most efficient supply chain wins. Gaziantep is breaking export records but only sells 25% of it to Europe. Why? What do we need to do? We must prepare a logistics master plan. Logistics villages nationally and internationally. Alternative import corridors. The railways need to connect to the industry.”

- Arbitration

“It is evident how disputes should be solved in the world; however, it has not been adopted here,” said Hisarcıklıoğlu and stated that they request that the law for the İstanbul Arbitration Center, which is a grand vision, be passed as soon as possible so as to get started on the many things which must be done afterwards. “I have a request of the bureaucrats: Please make it so that arbitration is private sector-focused. This is our business, this is how it is all over the world.”

Emphasizing that the Finance Acquisition Technical Committee is at least as important as employment, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Because without SMEs or entrepreneurship, there can be no employment. There are serious problems with SME credit. The costs are too high and the interest rates will not go down. We need to transition to a structure in which SMEs are proactively supported. We also need to extend the insurance system.”

Stating that the 2013-2014 Action Plan stands before them as a chance for Turkey to get a step ahead of its rivals, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The only thing we need to do is work hard to reach the goals we’ve set ourselves in the Action Plan.”