This is how Hendrik Van de Velde, the Belgian Ambassador to Ankara, views the May visit.
“We are rediscovering how close Belgium and Türkiye are, how deeply integrated the Turkish economy is into the European one.
It’s an economy in the process of complete transformation—and now is the perfect time to come here,” the ambassador said in an exclusive interview with the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency.
According to the diplomat, this isn’t just a matter of long-distance trade.
“Türkiye is a European economy, integrated into our production chains. Think of it as a neighbouring shore: in these turbulent times, it’s a much more reliable foundation for relations than partners located much further away,” says van de Velde.
The ambassador singled out the defence and aerospace sectors in particular: “You can’t even imagine how quickly this is developing. Next year, Türkiye plans to land on the moon using its own technology.”
He estimates that the country produces thousands of engineers every year, and the combination of this talent pool with its existing industrial expertise gives Türkiye “a truly solid foundation for production in high-tech sectors.”
Speaking about bilateral relations in figures, the ambassador emphasised: “We rank sixth among EU countries in terms of trade turnover with Türkiye… This is a strong result, but we can improve it,” the ambassador concluded.
Queen Mathilde’s May mission will take place two months before the NATO summit in Ankara. For Turkish Ambassador to Brussels Baris Tantekin, this is no coincidence—it reflects the new quality of relations.
In an exclusive interview with the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency, Tantekin shared figures that, he said, speak for themselves: over the 30 years of the Customs Union, trade turnover between Türkiye and the EU has increased tenfold – from $23 billion to almost $233 billion.
“The Customs Union has deeply integrated Türkiye into European production chains. We are part of this chain,” says the Turkish ambassador.
However, according to Tantekin, the current framework no longer reflects reality.
“The modern economy is characterised by services, digital trade, e-commerce, and government procurement. The current Customs Union does not cover these sectors. We need a Customs Union 2.0,” the diplomat believes.
Tantekin emphasised that modernising the agreement is beneficial to both parties: it will strengthen European value chains and increase economies’ resilience to external shocks.
When asked about Türkiye’s competitive advantages, the ambassador cited three: geography (“access to a market of almost 1 billion consumers”), a diversified economy—automotive, textiles, defence, electronics—and human capital.
“You’ll find qualified engineers, managers, and people who speak English and French here. This is a significant asset for Belgian companies,” the Turkish diplomat asserted.
Tantekin also emphasised the timing of the visit.
“This is a very important moment,” he said, naming the defence industry, the green transition, logistics, digitalisation, and pharmaceuticals as key areas for bilateral cooperation.
Concluding the interview, the ambassador offered three pieces of advice to Belgian businesses: build long-term partnerships, view Türkiye as a production base and regional export hub, and actively work with local partners.
“There’s no competition in this mission—only partnership and opportunities for collaboration with Belgium… In Türkiye, business is built on trust and personal connections—add Belgian chocolate to Turkish coffee,” Tantekin concluded.