Published on:

03.09.2025

Turkey – Import and export of goods

Turkey and the EU have built strong economic relations, despite the fact that Turkey is not yet a member of the Union. However, it has signed a Customs Union Agreement with the EU to encourage trade and economic cooperation. In recent years, the EU has been Turkey’s number one trading partner for both imports and exports, while Turkey ranks seventh in imports to the EU and fifth in exports.

The Customs Union Agreement promotes trade between the two sides by allowing the free circulation of goods. Products accompanied by an ATR certificate and delivered to Turkey benefit from preferential treatment. The Customs Union applies to industrial goods, but not to agricultural products, with the exception of processed agricultural goods, services, and public procurement.

The most exported goods from Turkey are:

Automobiles, spare parts, and automotive equipment – given the large number of foreign car manufacturers operating in the country.
Jewelry and precious stones – as Turkey is one of the most important gold producers in both Europe and Asia.
Metals – with scrap metal being the most significant in terms of exports to Europe.
Agricultural products – the majority of locally produced fruits and vegetables are exported to Europe.
Textile products and fabrics – exported not only to the European Union but also to Asian countries.

Import

When it comes to imports, Turkey brings in raw materials, gold, textile fabrics, vehicle spare parts, and refined petroleum. Recent reports indicate that Turkey sources the majority of its raw material imports from China, Germany, Italy, Russia, and the United States.

Located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Turkey is one of the most important trading partners for countries on both continents, which gives it a significant advantage in both imports and exports. Furthermore, a portion of the raw materials imported by Turkey are processed domestically and then re-exported as finished products.