Development of international trade in Turkey: trends and changes

Abstract

Turkey, which is the connection point between Asia and Europe and is in a strategically important position, needs new markets where it can implement an effective commercial policy. According to the data of the Asian Development Bank, Asian countries, which are expected to meet more than half of the world production in 2050 with their rapid growth, and African countries, which are seen as a virgin market and advantageous in terms of cheap raw material import, offer Turkey a good market opportunity as an alternative to European region trade. On the other hand, it is expected that the agreements made by Turkey will increase the commercial potential of the country. T he aim of this study is to show the cooperation with different international economic integrations, that is, the change in Turkey’s direction in trade, by reducing the risks and disadvantages of being tied to a certain region in terms of trade. The study deals with the Turkish foreign trade policy, competitiveness and trade data from the period of opening up after 1980 to the present, in certain periods. At the same time, it is stated in the study that with the change of Turkey’s trade policy, the share of EU countries in total foreign trade has decreased in the last twenty years, and the direction of Turkey’s European-intensive foreign trade has expanded to the whole world, especially to Asia. It is predicted that Turkey’s economic and political efficiency will increase with its new policies and strong commercial connections.