28 February 2019
EU-Turkey High-Level Economic Dialogue
President of EUROCHAMBRES, Christoph Leitl, about the HLED:
It was a high-ranking event: Vice-President Katainen from the European Commission and Minister Albayrak, Minister of Treasury and Finance, were heading the public authorities part, whereas Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu from TOBB and me were the leading parts for the private sector.
I presented a set of policy recommendations which had been developed one day before, during a “business only” meeting, covering different areas: SMEs and digitalization, people training and skills, modernizing and enlarging the customs union and logistics and connectivity.
EUROCHAMBRES is doing a great and well accepted job together with TOBB, our Turkish partners and friends. Thanks to the TEBD Project, we can also involve dozens of local Chambers on both sides, who meet and cooperate. And once again I have to repeat: economy goes before politics! When the Minister of Treasury and Finance asked me what to do to encourage foreign investors I answered: “regain confidence, re-establish rule of law, return to a stable situation in your country!”
