Turkish business leaders urge Meloni to back EU accession renewal

The heads of Türkiye's leading business diplomacy institutions on Monday published an open letter in Italy's Corriere della Sera urging Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to champion a renewed push for Ankara's long-stalled European Union accession process. Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) President Nail Olpak, Türkiye-Europe Business Councils Chair Mehmet Ali Yalcindag, and Türkiye-Italy Business Council Chairwoman Lale Cander were among the 26 signatories representing business councils between Türkiye and EU member states, according to the letter.

Economic and security rationale

The chairs argued that deepening ties with Ankara would enhance the bloc's global posture at a moment when economic competitiveness, technological strength, and security have become inseparable. "Europe will be stronger on the global stage if it fully harnesses the economic, technological, and strategic potential that Türkiye brings to a shared European future," the letter stated, noting that Turkish companies have functioned as integral components of European value chains and innovation networks for decades.

Call for customs union modernization

Geopolitical instability, rapid advances in artificial intelligence, the energy transition, and shifting global trade patterns are reshaping Brussels' interests and vulnerabilities, the signatories said, warning that demographic shifts and persistent security concerns make deeper integration increasingly urgent. "It is time to reassess the current approach that is hampering Türkiye's accession process," they added, arguing that a modernized EU-Türkiye Customs Union and a clear membership perspective would restore strategic clarity while bolstering Europe's competitiveness in a fragmented world.