UK and Turkey to negotiate new FTA

The UK and Turkey have announced plans to begin talks on an updated free trade agreement (FTA) that would replace the existing one, which was rolled over from when the UK left the EU and doesn’t cover key areas of the UK economy like services, digital and data. 

The UK-Turkey Joint Committee consisting of the UK’s chief negotiator and officials from both sides – responsible for overseeing implementation of the current agreement – will meet today in Ankara, Turkey’s capital city to formally conclude the review of the current agreement and move towards renegotiation of the Free Trade Agreement.

A new FTA could potentially cover Turkish exports to the UK of fresh fruits, vegetables and products like olive oil. Later this month, minister for exports Lord Offord will be visiting Turkey where he will meet businesses and stakeholders to discuss investment and export opportunities.