Private sector's faith in EU and EU membership weakens

has been a decline in the support and faith of businesspeople THERE in the European Union, according to the results of a survey conducted by The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchange of Turkey (TOBB) and the European Union Chambers of Commerce and Industry (EUROCHAMBRES) measuring the Turkish private sector’s view of Europe-Turkey relations.

The results of the third survey, the first two of which were carried out in 2009 and 2013, respectively, were announced to the public at a ceremony attended by EUROCHAMBRES President Luc Frieden and TOBB Vice President Ayhan Zeytinoglu.

The rate of supporters of Turkey’s EU membership in the private sector decreased to 60%, according to the summary results of the survey. This rate was 76% in 2008 and 75% in 2013.

Approximately 54% of business people do not believe that Turkey will become a member of the EU. The rate of those who think the EU is beneficial is 62%, while the rate of those who support the modernization of the Customs Union is 61%.

The rate of those who want the agricultural sector to be included in the Customs Union is 52%, and the rate of those who want services to be included is 45%.

While 54% of businesspeople who participated in the survey stated that they had information about the Green Deal, 46% said that they did not have any information about it.

While 76% of businesspeople supported the ratification of the Paris Climate Change agreement, 82% said they needed more information about the EU market.

While small and medium enterprises (SMEs) participating in the research mostly asked for trade information, large companies requested information on taxation.