Latest news with #OmerBolat
Arabian Business
3 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
EU relaxes Schengen Visa rules for some citizens from July 2025: Report
The European Union has relaxed visa requirements for Turkish citizens seeking to enter the Schengen area, with new measures taking effect from July 15, aimed at addressing long-standing complaints about bureaucratic delays. EU Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Hans Ossowski announced the changes on Friday, describing them as a step towards resolving issues that have frustrated Turkish travellers for years, Reuters reported. The European Commission's decision simplifies the process for obtaining multiple-entry visas to the 27-country bloc. Under the new system, Turkish citizens who have previously used visas correctly can obtain a six-month visa from their second application. This can then be extended to one-year, three-year and five-year multiple-entry visas in subsequent applications. 'It will be much easier and much faster for Turkish citizens,' Ossowski told reporters in Ankara. The ambassador acknowledged the changes would help address Turkish complaints about lengthy bureaucratic processes but warned the measures would not permanently solve all problems. For years, Turkish citizens have faced delays in the EU's visa system, which operates through accredited visa agencies that have struggled with high application volumes. Turkey welcomes Schengen Visa reforms Turkey's foreign ministry welcomed the move and confirmed that Turkish institutions and the EU Commission would continue seeking further visa relaxation measures. Trade Minister Omer Bolat described the decision as a 'facilitation that our citizens have been awaiting for a long time.' Speaking to the state-owned Anadolu news agency, Bolat also said Turkey wanted to begin talks on modernising its customs union with the EU and expanding the accord to include service and e-commerce sectors. The visa changes come amid signs of renewed engagement between Turkey and the EU after years of strained relations. Turkey has held EU membership candidate status since 1999, but its accession process has been frozen over concerns including human rights and democratic backsliding. Recent months have seen increased economic cooperation and diplomatic engagement. Ossowski emphasised that the EU has offered Turkey visa-free travel prospects for more than a decade and called for urgent revival of the liberalisation process. 'Every other candidate country has visa-free travel except Turkey,' he said. 'It is urgent to re-engage in this process of visa-free travel in the Schengen space and the EU.' The European Commission plans to restart formal negotiations after the summer break and will work with Ankara on fulfilling six remaining benchmarks required by the visa liberalisation roadmap, according to Ossowski. 'We are ready, the Commission is ready to work closely with Turkish authorities,' he said. The EU and Turkey have been discussing possible workarounds to address the slow processing times that have affected Turkish visa applications due to high demand.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Turkey, Britain to hold free trade agreement modernisation talks by end-July, trade minister says
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey and the United Kingdom agreed to hold the first round of negotiations to modernize and expand the scope of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between them by end-July, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said on Wednesday. The FTA between NATO allies Britain and Turkey was rolled over when Britain left the European Union in 2020, but a review by both sides in 2023 concluded there was room for improvement. In a post on X, Bolat said his meeting in London with UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, was productive and that the sides signed sections of the free trade agreement about motor vehicles and chemicals, taking an "important step in the modernization process." "Additionally, we agreed to hold the 8th session of the Türkiye–United Kingdom Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), where we will comprehensively assess our trade relations, in London later this year," Bolat added. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Straits Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Turkey, Britain to hold free trade agreement modernisation talks by end-July, trade minister says
ANKARA - Turkey and the United Kingdom agreed to hold the first round of negotiations to modernize and expand the scope of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between them by end-July, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said on Wednesday. The FTA between NATO allies Britain and Turkey was rolled over when Britain left the European Union in 2020, but a review by both sides in 2023 concluded there was room for improvement. In a post on X, Bolat said his meeting in London with UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, was productive and that the sides signed sections of the free trade agreement about motor vehicles and chemicals, taking an "important step in the modernization process." "Additionally, we agreed to hold the 8th session of the Türkiye–United Kingdom Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), where we will comprehensively assess our trade relations, in London later this year," Bolat added. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
07-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Turkey, Britain to hold free trade agreement modernisation talks by end-July, trade minister says
ANKARA, May 7 (Reuters) - Turkey and the United Kingdom agreed to hold the first round of negotiations to modernize and expand the scope of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between them by end-July, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said on Wednesday. The FTA between NATO allies Britain and Turkey was rolled over when Britain left the European Union in 2020, but a review by both sides in 2023 concluded there was room for improvement. In a post on X, Bolat said his meeting in London with UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, was productive and that the sides signed sections of the free trade agreement about motor vehicles and chemicals, taking an "important step in the modernization process." "Additionally, we agreed to hold the 8th session of the Türkiye–United Kingdom Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), where we will comprehensively assess our trade relations, in London later this year," Bolat added.
Asharq Al-Awsat
02-05-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Türkiye Says Trade Deficit Widened 21.7% in April
Türkiye's trade deficit widened 21.7% year-on-year to 12$ billion in April, Trade Minister Omer Bolat said on Friday. Exports stood at $20.9 billion in April, while imports amounted to $33 billion, he told a press conference. The euro's gains against the US dollar since US President Donald Trump introduced new 10% baseline tariffs on all economies and slapped duties totaling 20% on the European Union had a positive effect on Turkish exports amounting to $440 million, Bolat also said. Meanwhile, the Turkish manufacturing sector contracted in April as output and new orders continued to ease amid subdued demand, with firms scaling back employment and purchasing activity, a survey showed on Friday. The Istanbul Chamber of Industry Türkiye Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) was unchanged at 47.3 in April. This marked the 13th consecutive month of easing business conditions, with any reading below 50.0 pointing to a contraction in activity. Although new export orders eased the latest slowdown was the least pronounced so far this year, and the moderation in new business from abroad was also less marked than that seen for total new orders, the survey showed. Manufacturers continued to scale back employment and purchasing activity, instead reducing inventories, the survey showed. Manufacturers reported that suppliers quickened their deliveries in April, the survey showed, while the rate of input cost inflation quickened amid currency weakness and higher costs for raw materials. "An uncertain international economic environment added to the challenges facing Turkish manufacturers in April. As such, further moderations in new orders, output and exports were recorded by the latest PMI survey," said Andrew Harker, Economics Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence. "That said, there were some signs of improvement, raising hopes that the sector could potentially move closer to growth territory in the months ahead."
