The Made in Europe policy could strengthen the Turkish steel industry

The EU’s «Made in Europe» requirement is expected to strengthen and consolidate Turkey’s strategic position in European production and logistics chains, particularly in the automotive and steel sectors. This was reported by the state agency Anadolu.

It is expected that Turkey will be considered within the customs union under the Industrial Accelerator Law proposed by the European Commission.

Last week, the country’s Minister of Trade, Omer Bolat, praised this move, noting in a post on the Turkish social platform NSosyal that confirming the legal basis for Turkey’s inclusion is an important step in bilateral trade relations.

It is expected that Turkey’s inclusion in the «Made in Europe» requirement will avoid the risk of new customs duties being imposed, which, despite the customs union, could otherwise undermine the country’s competitiveness.

The Turkish steel sector is also expected to reap long-term strategic benefits from the classification presented by the EC.

According to Veysel Yayan, Secretary General of the Turkish Steel Producers Association (TCUD), the country’s steel industry already operates in accordance with EU standards for production processes, quality standards, and technical regulations.

He noted that this classification could create opportunities for Turkish steel if the country’s steelmakers consider the gaps in the market that may arise if other exporters are not included in the «Made in Europe» scheme.

«Turkey’s geographical proximity, its powerful production capacities, and its production infrastructure, which is compatible with EU standards, can further strengthen the Turkish steel industry, making this sector a reliable and competitive supplier for European industry,» explained Veysel Yayan.

The TCUD Secretary General added that the green transformation is not yet included in the Made in Europe requirement, but with this step, Turkish steel can accelerate its efforts in this area and invest more in decarbonization, which will deepen its compliance with European climate policy.

It should be recalled that on March 4, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal to increase demand for low-carbon technologies and products manufactured in Europe – the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA). The IAA introduces targeted and proportionate requirements for the «Made in the EU» program and low-carbon requirements for public procurement and state aid schemes.