Türkiye's Exports to the EU Top $35.2 Billion in First Four Months: Automotive Leads at $10.3 Billion

Anadolu Agency, citing data compiled from the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TİM), reports that Türkiye's exports in January-April 2026 climbed 3 percent year-on-year to $88.630 billion. Shipments to the European Union over the same period rose 6.31 percent to $35.225 billion — meaning the EU absorbed roughly 39.7 percent of total Turkish exports. Germany led individual EU buyers, taking $6.769 billion of Turkish goods (up 7.2 percent), followed by Italy at $4.5 billion, Spain at $3.5 billion, France at $3.484 billion and Romania at $2.443 billion.

By sector, the automotive industry was the single largest source of EU-bound exports at $10.284 billion, followed by chemicals and chemical products at $4.621 billion, ready-made garments at $3.176 billion, ferrous and non-ferrous metals at $2.681 billion, electrical and electronics at $2.610 billion, steel at $2.230 billion and machinery and components at $1.342 billion. These seven sectors together accounted for 30.49 percent of Türkiye's total exports — a striking demonstration of how narrowly the country's role in European supply chains is concentrated around a handful of upstream input categories.

Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) President Şekib Avdagiç, in remarks to Anadolu Agency, recalled that the EU is Türkiye's largest trade partner and Türkiye is the EU's fifth-largest trade partner. "At a time when global supply chains are being reshaped, integrating Türkiye more strongly into Europe's manufacturing ecosystem will produce a win-win for both sides," he said, citing green transition, digitalisation and industrial transformation as priority areas for joint action. Avdagiç underlined that Türkiye is the primary source of qualified technology, machinery and capital-goods imports for the EU, framing the partnership as "directly contributing to Europe's competitiveness through co-production chains."

Avdagiç's most concrete request was the update of the Customs Union and the inclusion of Türkiye in the "EU-origin — Made in EU" regime. "The first stage of the draft passed favourably. A demanding road awaits us at the commission and parliamentary stages. If this footing is not confirmed, Made in EU production networks risk generating a competitive disadvantage against Türkiye." Pointing to recent EU free-trade agreements with India and Mercosur, Avdagiç argued that "just as on the import side, Türkiye must also be subject to the EU regime on the export side," calling the issue "even higher-priority than visa liberalisation." For supply-chain planners, the message is clear: the Customs Union update and "Made in EU" inclusion — two files expected to advance in Brussels later this year — are emerging as the most consequential trade-policy battles for Türkiye's role in European production networks over the coming quarters.

Key Takeaways:
1. Türkiye's January-April 2026 total exports rose 3 percent to $88.6 billion, while EU-bound exports grew 6.31 percent to $35.2 billion — 39.7 percent of total shipments went to the EU.
2. Automotive led EU-bound exports at $10.3 billion, followed by chemicals at $4.6 billion and ready-made garments at $3.2 billion.
3. Germany was the largest single EU buyer at $6.8 billion, followed by Italy, Spain, France and Romania to round out the top five.
4. ICOC President Avdagiç recalled that Türkiye is the EU's fifth-largest trade partner and called the Customs Union update and 'Made in EU' inclusion a higher priority than visa liberalisation.
5. With the EU finalising free-trade deals with India and Mercosur, Türkiye risks losing its co-production advantage if export-side EU-regime parity is not secured.

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