Maxime Prevot, Belgian deputy premier and foreign minister, said the time has come to renew the Customs Union between the EU and Türkiye, saying: "It doesn't make sense trying to match the reality of business in 2026 with a framework drafted 30 years ago."
Prevot, speaking at the Türkiye-Belgium Economic Forum on Wednesday, said the meeting with Turkish officials marked the largest economic mission to the country from Belgium ever. "It means a lot -- it clearly reflects the importance Belgium considers Türkiye," he said.
He stated that the first bilateral trade deal was signed between Belgium and the Ottoman Empire in 1838, and the goal since then has been to build upon the deep historical ties to shape the future together, following a successful start in Istanbul with the Belgian economic mission, which is now continuing in Ankara.
The economic forum was also attended by TOBB President Rifat Hisarciklioglu, Flanders Investment and Trade CEO Piet Demunter, Voka Limburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Director Johann Leten, and Turkish Deputy Defense Minister Musa Heybet.
Prevot noted that the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) is a key partner for Belgium and the EU, evident from the close cooperation between the parties, saying the union brings together communities to achieve goals in trade, investments, and innovation through dialogue.
He said Ankara, Türkiye's second-largest economic hub right after Istanbul, offers crucial opportunities to deepen the dialogue that TOBB leverages to further economic activities.
"The Türkiye of tomorrow is being built not only on the Bosphorus but also along the Black Sea coast, in Anatolia, on the banks of the Seyhan, and Belgian companies want to be a partner of that whole country, too," he said. "This mission provides an excellent opportunity to build stronger and lasting partnerships between our two countries."
Prevot mentioned that he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, and ministers during his visit to the country, discussing shared goals and priorities, as well as what Belgian firms could contribute to the economy.
"But seminars like today's are the necessary other half of those exchanges -- the moment when high-level political conversations meet the business reality on the ground," he noted.
Prevot stated that he repeatedly raised the need to renew the Customs Union during talks with Turkish officials. "The world has changed -- Türkiye has changed -- so we fully advocate for a renewed Customs Union," he said.
While there are some bilateral issues over the renewal of the agreement, Prevot noted updating it would benefit both countries, as it currently does not cover areas like services and agriculture and instead is focused solely on industrial goods.
Prevot mentioned Türkiye's recent inclusion in the "Made in Europe" EU-origin classification, which indicates a product is made in collaboration with Europe, saying that Belgium wants closer cooperation with countries within this framework, including Türkiye.
He noted that the trade volume between Belgium and Türkiye reached around €12 billion (about $14 billion) in 2025, adding that the aim should be to double this figure.
"It is also time to update the Belgian-Luxembourgish-Turkish investment agreement signed in 1986," he said, adding that an initiative will be launched in Belgium to facilitate the process of updating the 40-year-old agreement.
