The Feasibility Study for Business Bridges between EU and MENA Released The report was prepared by TEPAV in the scope of the project titled Global Business Bridges Initiative”

ANKARA – Global Business Bridges Initiative Feasibility Study prepared by TEPAV for supporting business complementarities between European Union member states Turkey and Egypt, Tunisia and Palestine was published.

The study was conducted in the scope of the “Global Business Bridges Initiative” carried out by the European Union Commission, the Ministry of Economy of Turkey and TOBB. The Initiative will carry out trilateral matchmaking events that will join companies from Turkey the EU member states and the three pilot countries. Turkish and European companies will engage in joint trade, technology and investment initiatives in third countries. It is planned to replicate the Initiative in other countries.

In the context of the project, TEPAV conducted the feasibility study and identified the feasible economic areas that would enable trilateral business linkages as well as relevant value chains. The study underpinned areas/sectors of joint interest for EU-Turkey investments and trade collaboration in Egypt, Tunisia and Palestine for the short-run and promising areas for the long run. Furthermore, it provided information on the existing regulatory and economic market barriers, and the problems related to physical infrastructure; on the governments’ FDI or trade facilitation support mechanisms in the selected countries and existing EU programs in the selected country for trade and investment facilitation. The study was carried out between May – October 2012.

The preliminary findings of the feasibility report was presented by TEPAV in October at TOBB Plaza, Istanbul during the “EU-Turkey Global Business Bridges Initiative: Istanbul Bridge-Building Conference.”