Portugal–Türkiye Roundtable Meeting, organized by Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye (DEİK) and the Portuguese Trade and Investment Agency (AICEP), was held on April 8, 2026, in Lisbon, within the framework of the 5th Term JETCO Meeting between Türkiye and Portugal. The meeting was attended by H.E. Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye; Paulo Rangel, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal; Burhan Özdemir, DEİK Vice President; João Rui Ferreira, Secretary of State for the Economy of Portugal; Mustafa Mertcan, Chairperson of the DEİK/Türkiye–Portugal Business Council; Madalena Oliveira e Silva, President of AICEP; and business representatives from both countries.

During the meeting, held on the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Portugal, Memorandums of Understanding were signed between DEİK and AICEP, DEİK and the Porto Chamber of Commerce (AEP), and DEİK and Unicorn Factory Lisboa.

Bolat: "We are determined to modernize the Customs Union with the EU"

H.E. Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat emphasized the celebration of the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Portugal, underlining the value both countries attach to their strong partnership and expressing his hope for its further development.

"Thanks to today's JETCO meeting, we exchanged views across a wide range of areas, including bilateral trade and investments, contracting services, cooperation in third countries, industrial cooperation, circular economy and sustainable supply chains, the European Green Deal, visas, energy, agriculture, transportation, defense industry, and finance. These areas reflect both our strategic priorities and the strong potential for mutually beneficial cooperation. Our business communities should not limit their scope to Türkiye and Portugal alone; our ambitions must go beyond that," he said.

Noting the growth in trade between the two countries in recent years, Bolat stated:
"Our trade volume, which was around USD 2 billion before the COVID-19 pandemic, reached USD 3.7 billion in 2025. Our trade structure is balanced. Our target is to reach USD 5 billion in the coming period. There is significant potential in sectors such as health tourism, cultural services, defense industry, shipbuilding, maritime transport, and communication technologies. Within the framework of the ‘Ports 5+ Strategy,' there are important opportunities for Turkish port operators and related sectors. We are determined to modernize the Customs Union with the EU. With a trade volume of USD 233 billion, this partnership is a strategic necessity. The EU is Türkiye's largest trading partner, and Türkiye is the EU's fifth-largest partner. I invite our business community to sustain this strong partnership."

Rangel: "Portugal and Türkiye should be seen as strategic gateways to Europe"

Paulo Rangel highlighted the growing importance of the bilateral forum, stating that it has become indispensable for economic and diplomatic dialogue between Portugal and Türkiye.

Noting that 2026 marks the centennial of diplomatic relations, Rangel called for a renewed and more ambitious vision in bilateral ties. He emphasized the need to adopt a stronger geostrategic perspective and proposed viewing the two countries as complementary partners. He underlined that Portugal and Türkiye should be considered strategic gateways to Europe.

Özdemir: "Full integration with the EU, Türkiye's largest trading partner, is of great importance"

DEİK Vice President Burhan Özdemir stated that Türkiye and Portugal, located on the eastern and western edges of Europe, serve as strategic gateways for the continent.

"The Turkish and Portuguese economies are integrated through various channels such as trade, mutual investments, finance, and tourism. At a time when global economic balances are being reshaped, the importance of sustainable and resilient partnerships has increased more than ever. As DEİK, we prioritize Türkiye's EU membership target. Full integration with the EU, our country's largest trading partner, is of great importance. We would welcome the support of our Portuguese counterparts in Türkiye's EU accession process. We also attach importance to developing a constructive and forward-looking dialogue between our business communities on European integration. The modernization of the Customs Union to include green and digital transformation has become even more critical. As the Turkish business community, we must strengthen our economic, trade, and defense industry relations with Portugal, which offers significant opportunities, particularly within major European investment projects. Renewable energy, digital sectors, maritime and port cooperation, tourism, and technology initiatives are key areas of cooperation. It is crucial for Turkish companies to take an active role in Portugal's infrastructure, transportation, airport, high-speed rail, housing, and communication investments, which are expected to reach approximately USD 75 billion in the coming years," he said.

Ferreira: "We must understand the market, be present on the ground, and build partnerships"

João Rui Ferreira pointed to the positive development of economic relations but noted that the current level still falls short of its true potential.

"We are satisfied with the results we have achieved, but we are still far from our real potential. Business representatives can be more active in international markets. We cannot do business by sitting in our offices in our own countries. We must understand the market, be present on the ground, and establish partnerships," he said.

Ferreira also highlighted Portugal's strategic position, particularly in renewable energy, including solar, wind, and green hydrogen. Emphasizing AICEP's role in facilitating foreign investment, he stated:
"AICEP is the door you should knock on."

Mertcan: "Diversifying sectoral cooperation is of great importance"

Mustafa Mertcan stated that economic relations between Türkiye and Portugal have gained significant momentum in recent years.

"Diversifying sectoral cooperation is of great importance. Infrastructure, transportation, energy, telecommunications, and technology stand out as key areas. As the DEİK/Türkiye–Portugal Business Council, we actively work in innovative fields such as digitalization, the entrepreneurship ecosystem, and innovation. We regularly participate in the Web Summit held annually in Lisbon. We believe there is significant cooperation potential in these areas as well. Transforming this potential into concrete and sustainable business partnerships is among our priorities. Increasing interaction between business communities and implementing joint projects will take our partnership to the next level," he said.

Silva: "Both countries have strong potential to enhance trade relations"

Madalena Oliveira e Silva emphasized AICEP's role in supporting businesses and highlighted the importance of its presence in Ankara in facilitating economic relations.

She expressed her belief that Portugal and Türkiye have strong potential to further develop trade relations, particularly noting recent growth in sectors such as automotive, machinery, and industrial products. She added that this demonstrates the depth of bilateral relations and identified priority areas for cooperation as industrial partnerships, technologies, and especially joint development and infrastructure cooperation in solar energy.

The meeting was sponsored by Dof Robotics, Binay International, Erdem Holding, and Yılport Holding.