Belgium–Turkey relations
Encyclopedia
Belgian–Turkish relations are foreign relations between Belgium
and Turkey
. Belgium has an embassy in Ankara
, a consulate–general in Istanbul
and two consulates in Antalya
and İzmir
. Turkey has an embassy in Brussels
and a consulate–general in Antwerp.
. Diplomatic relations were established in 1848.
, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
, the World Trade Organization (WTO)
and the Union for the Mediterranean
. Also Belgium is a European Union member
and Turkey is a candidate
.
The approximately 230,000 Turkish citizens living in Belgium
constitute an important aspect in Turkey's relations with Belgium. They are espacially from the Emirdağ
district, located in Afyonkarahisar
, Turkey
.
The Turkish–Belgian Business Council, and organisations with similar aims, give priority to promoting commercial linkages. This Council was established in 1990. Small and medium size businesses play an important role in the economies of Turkey and Belgium.
There are more than 200 Belgian firms operating in Turkey. The value of Belgian investments in Turkey is around € 300 million. On the other hand, the investment of Turkish companies in Belgium has exceeded € 1 billion.
In 2008, more than 583,409 Belgian tourists visited Turkey.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Belgium has an embassy in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, a consulate–general in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
and two consulates in Antalya
Antalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
and İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
. Turkey has an embassy in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and a consulate–general in Antwerp.
History
Relations between the two countries started in 1837 with the recognition of independent Belgium by the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. Diplomatic relations were established in 1848.
Political relations
Turkey and Belgium are both members of the Council of EuropeCouncil of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international economic organisation of 34 countries founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade...
, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
, the World Trade Organization (WTO)
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
and the Union for the Mediterranean
Union for the Mediterranean
The Union for the Mediterranean is a multilateral partnership that encompasses 43 countries from Europe and the Mediterranean Basin: the 27 member states of the European Union and 16 Mediterranean partner countries from North Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans...
. Also Belgium is a European Union member
Member State of the European Union
A member state of the European Union is a state that is party to treaties of the European Union and has thereby undertaken the privileges and obligations that EU membership entails. Unlike membership of an international organisation, being an EU member state places a country under binding laws in...
and Turkey is a candidate
Accession of Turkey to the European Union
Turkey's application to accede to the European Union was made on 14 April 1987. Turkey has been an associate member of the European Union and its predecessors since 1963...
.
The approximately 230,000 Turkish citizens living in Belgium
Turks in Belgium
Turks in Belgium are either Turkish people who live in Belgium even though having been born outside Belgium, or are Belgian-born, but have Turkish roots...
constitute an important aspect in Turkey's relations with Belgium. They are espacially from the Emirdağ
Emirdag
Emirdağ is a town and district of Afyonkarahisar Province in Turkey, between the city of Afyon and Eskişehir. It covers an area of 2,009 km², and the population is 42,111 of which 19,991 live in the town of Emirdağ itself. The mayor is Cengiz Pala .The Emirdağ Mountains rise steeply behind...
district, located in Afyonkarahisar
Afyonkarahisar
Afyonkarahisar is a city in western Turkey, the capital of Afyon Province. Afyon is in mountainous countryside inland from the Aegean coast, south-west of Ankara along the Akarçay River. Elevation...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Economic relations
Trade volume between Turkey and Belgium has increased remarkably over the years and reached € 3 billion. In 2006, Belgian exports to Turkey increased by 9,4% (€ 1,88 billion), whereas Turkish exports to Belgium increased 6,8% (€ 1,06 billion) comparing to 2005. Belgium is the seventeenth largest trade partner of Turkey.The Turkish–Belgian Business Council, and organisations with similar aims, give priority to promoting commercial linkages. This Council was established in 1990. Small and medium size businesses play an important role in the economies of Turkey and Belgium.
There are more than 200 Belgian firms operating in Turkey. The value of Belgian investments in Turkey is around € 300 million. On the other hand, the investment of Turkish companies in Belgium has exceeded € 1 billion.
In 2008, more than 583,409 Belgian tourists visited Turkey.
Visits
| Guest | Host | Place of visit | Date of visit | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister Prime Minister of Turkey The Prime Minister of the Turkey is the head of government in Turkish politics. The prime minister is the leader of a political coalition in the Turkish parliament and the leader of the cabinet.... Abdullah Gül Abdullah Gül Dr. Abdullah Gül, GCB is the 11th and current President of the Republic of Turkey, serving in that office since 28 August 2007. He previously served for four months as Prime Minister from 2002-03, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003-07.... |
Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt Guy Verhofstadt Guy Verhofstadt is a Belgian politician who was the 47th Prime Minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008. He is currently a Member of the European Parliament and leader of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.- Early career :... |
Brussels | February 17, 2003 | |
| Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt | Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Recep Tayyip Erdogan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara... |
Ankara and Istanbul Istanbul Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and... |
November 2–4, 2003 | |
| President of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Herman De Croo Herman De Croo Herman Francies Joseph De Croo is a Belgian liberal politician. He is a member of the Open VLD. He is the father of current Open VLD chairman Alexander De Croo.... |
Speaker of the Parliament of Turkey Bülent Arınç Bülent Arinç Bülent Arınç , is a Turkish politician. He served as the 22nd house speaker of the Parliament of Turkey from 2002 to 2007. He is one of the State Ministers of Turkey and Vice-Prime Minister today.-Life and education:... |
Grand National Assembly of Turkey Grand National Assembly of Turkey The Grand National Assembly of Turkey , usually referred to simply as the Meclis , is the unicameral Turkish legislature. It is the sole body given the legislative prerogatives by the Turkish Constitution. It was founded in Ankara on 23 April 1920 in the midst of the Turkish War of Independence... , Ankara Ankara Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million.... |
November 28–December 1, 2004 | |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel De Gucht Karel De Gucht Karel Lodewijk Georgette Emmerence De Gucht is a Belgian politician who has been the European Commissioner for Trade since 2010... |
Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gül | Ankara | October 30–31, 2006 | |
| President President of Turkey The President of Turkey is the head of state of the Republic of Turkey. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office but has some important functions... Abdullah Gül |
King Monarchy of Belgium Monarchy in Belgium is constitutional and popular in nature. The hereditary monarch, at present Albert II, is the head of state and is officially called King of the Belgians .-Origins:... Albert II Albert II of Belgium Albert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha... |
Brussels | March 25–27, 2009 | |
| Prime Minister Yves Leterme Yves Leterme Yves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008... |
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan | Ankara | December 29–30, 2009 |
See also
- Foreign relations of TurkeyForeign relations of TurkeyForeign relations of the Republic of Turkey are the Turkish government's policies in its external relations with the international community...
- Foreign relations of BelgiumForeign relations of Belgium-Initial neutrality:Because of its location at the crossroads of Western Europe, Belgium has historically been the route of invading armies from its larger neighbours. With virtually defenceless borders, Belgium has traditionally sought to avoid domination by the more powerful nations which...
- Turks in BelgiumTurks in BelgiumTurks in Belgium are either Turkish people who live in Belgium even though having been born outside Belgium, or are Belgian-born, but have Turkish roots...