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Türkiye

EU-Türkiye cooperation on energy issues

The EU and Türkiye nurture a close relationship, centred on the Association Agreement, the Customs Union, candidate status for joining the EU, €220 billion in goods and services traded annually and €65 billion in cross-border investment stock. 

The energy sector forms a core part of this relationship. 

Energy trading 

Türkiye is a key transit country for oil and gas supplies to the EU from other countries and a major energy importer on its own. Around 10% of EU gas imports reach the EU market at the land borders with Türkiye. Türkiye has ambition to develop its role in energy trading at regional level, while the EU is committed to phasing out its dependency on Russian fossil fuels

Türkiye has a modern and fast-growing electricity market. Synchronised with the continental European grid, it has a 2.2 GW interconnection capacity with Bulgaria and Greece. 

EU-Türkiye cooperation 

The EU and Türkiye have a long-standing track record of cooperation in the energy sector, particularly under the EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance. This concerns renewable energy development, energy efficiency, and enabling the integration of the Turkish gas and electricity markets with the EU’s internal energy market. 

The EU also supports Türkiye in ensuring that the highest applicable nuclear safety standards are respected, notably through stress tests organised by the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG). 

As part of the 2024 Enlargement Package, the Commission released the Türkiye Report 2024 that assesses the state of play and progress made. 

Türkiye is an observer in the Energy Community. In addition, Türkiye’s national operator TEİAŞ is an observer in the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E).

EU-Türkiye High-level Energy Dialogue

The EU-Türkiye High-level Energy Dialogue was launched in 2016, but suspended by the EU Council in 2019 following unauthorised Turkish drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The Commission and Türkiye  continue to hold technical exchanges of information on energy policy matters. 

Upon invitation from the European Council, the Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presented a Joint Communication on EU-Türkiye relations in November 2023. It recommended, among other measures, and under strict conditions, that the High-level Energy Dialogue be reopened.

At the special European Council meeting of 17-18 April 2024, EU Leaders underlined that the EU has a strategic interest in a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the development of a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship with Türkiye. They further tasked the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) to advance work on the recommendations in a phased, proportionate, and reversible manner. 

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