Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent a formal letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging that Turkey not be excluded from the "Made in Europe" initiative as the bloc moves toward protectionist trade policies in response to U.S. tariff threats.
The appeal, <link url='https://t24.com.tr/yazarlar/barcin-yinanc/erdogandan-von-der-leyene-made-in-europe-mektubu,53504'>reported by Turkish media</link>, highlights Turkey's longstanding economic integration with European markets and its position within the EU Customs Union, which has bound Turkish and European trade policy since 1995 without granting Turkey full EU membership or a voice in trade decisions.
The "Made in Europe" framework represents the EU's strategic shift toward economic sovereignty amid growing global trade tensions. As Washington pursues aggressive tariff policies under the new administration, Brussels is responding by strengthening internal market protections and promoting European-manufactured goods. For Turkey, exclusion from this designation could mean significant barriers to its largest export market.
In Turkey, as at the crossroads of continents, identity and strategy require balancing multiple worlds. Turkey's relationship with the European Union has long embodied this complexity: economically integrated through the Customs Union, politically aligned through NATO membership, yet perpetually outside the bloc's formal structures.
Turkish officials warn that exclusion from the "Made in Europe" framework could devastate key export sectors including automotive, textiles, and machinery. Turkey exported over €90 billion in goods to EU member states last year, representing roughly half of the country's total exports. The automotive sector alone, where Turkey produces vehicles for European brands including Renault, Fiat, and Mercedes-Benz, faces particular vulnerability.
The timing of Erdogan's appeal reflects broader anxieties about Turkey's economic position. The country's customs union agreement, once seen as a stepping stone toward EU membership, now appears more constraint than advantage. Turkey must align with EU trade policy toward third countries while having no formal role in shaping those policies, and now faces potential exclusion from EU market protections despite this alignment.
European officials have not publicly responded to the Turkish appeal, though EU diplomats acknowledge the complexity. Turkey's accession negotiations have been effectively frozen since 2016 amid concerns over democratic backsliding and human rights, yet the economic relationship remains substantial and mutually beneficial.
Opposition figures in Turkey seized on the letter as evidence of failed foreign policy. CHP spokesperson criticized the government's inability to secure Turkey's interests within European structures, noting that two decades of AKP rule have left the country more economically dependent on Europe while politically more distant.
The appeal also underscores Turkey's limited options as global trade blocs consolidate. With economic integration into Europe, security commitments through NATO, but political isolation from both Western institutions, Turkey finds itself exposed to protectionist turns in Brussels while unable to shape the policies affecting its economy.
Turkish business associations have urged the government to pursue alternative trade agreements and reduce dependence on European markets, though economists note that restructuring trade relationships of this magnitude requires years if not decades. For now, Turkey's manufacturing base remains oriented toward European supply chains and consumer markets.
The "Made in Europe" controversy represents the latest chapter in Turkey's perpetual negotiation of its position between Europe and the wider world—neither fully integrated nor entirely separate, benefiting from economic ties while bearing the costs of political exclusion.
