Information on the Partnership
As an emerging market with a well-developed industrial base and diversified industry, Türkiye offers German SMEs numerous opportunities for cooperation, inter alia in the fields of agriculture and renewable energies. Partnering in Business with Germany is a programme designed to facilitate collaboration between Turkish companies with internationalisation potential and German companies wishing to enter the market. Türkiye is an important export and production location for German companies. Türkiye’s economy is integrated into global supply chains, with substantial exports but also has a significant need for imports of raw materials and intermediate products.
Focus Areas and Cooperation Potentials of Türkiye
With a trade volume of €52 billion (2024), Türkiye is Germany’s fifth-largest trading partner outside the EU. German exports remain at a very high level, particularly in the areas of automobiles and automotive suppliers, machinery, aircraft parts, and pharmaceutical products. This makes Germany Türkiye’s third-largest supplier, following Russia and China.
In 2024, Germany ranked as the most significant importer of Turkish goods.
At the same time, Türkiye is becoming increasingly important as a nearshoring production location within the EU. Currently, over 8,000 German companies with capital participation are registered in Türkiye, making Germany a significant investor.
Business in Türkiye – Opportunities for German Companies
Türkiye presents itself as an up-and-coming market with a well-developed industrial base and is categorised by the World Bank as one of the upper middle-income countries. The population is roughly the same size as Germany’s, but is younger and growing steadily. The Turkish economy is characterised by a diverse industry and is particularly impressive due to its production capacities, proximity to the EU and well-developed infrastructure. Türkiye’s strategic position as a bridge between Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia makes it a significant player in the global trade landscape. The country presents considerable opportunities for logistics companies, making it a desirable location for investment and business expansion. Trade relations with Germany are both vibrant and long-standing. This is also reflected in exports: In 2024, Türkiye was ranked 14th among German export destinations.
In recent years, the economic structure has evolved towards a stronger focus on manufacturing and services, creating numerous opportunities for German companies to collaborate with their Turkish counterparts, for instance in the textile industry. At the same time, the agriculture and food industry sectors continue to demonstrate robust performance. The country is working to establish itself as a preferred regional location and supply centre for leading agricultural companies worldwide. It offers potential investors from the agricultural sector various incentives to promote investment in this sector, despite the fact that the contribution of agriculture is declining.
Türkiye is also showing a growing interest in investing in renewable energies in order to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. Since 2013, Turkey and Germany have been working together closely on various aspects of the energy transition as part of the German-Turkish Energy Partnership. This development presents significant prospects for German companies in the areas of renewable energies, energy efficiency and green hydrogen.
Industry Focus and Participant Profiles
Partnering in Business with Germany is open to executives from all sectors. Executives from the automotive industry, the aviation sector, mechanical engineering, IT and communications, electronics, logistics, agriculture and the food industry are taking part in the programme. Further priority topics include Industrie 4.0, automation, renewable energy, IT and digitisation, and smart farming. There is also demand in the fields of the textile industry, the circular economy and the healthcare sector.
News
A successful start to cooperation with Türkiye
In June 2025 the Partnering in Business with Germany Programme reached a significant milestone: a successful visit by the Turkish pilot group came to an end at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. This not only represents an extension of the country portfolio, but also provides important impetus for new developments in German-Turkish economic cooperation.
Partnering in Business with Germany continuing to grow – Türkiye new partner country
At the end of September 2024, Vice-Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck and Minister of Economy and Trade of Türkiye Ömer Bolat signed a joint declaration on the participation of Türkiye in the Partnering in Business with Germany programme in Berlin. The next step was taken in Ankara on 14 and 15 November 2024: initial talks at working level on details of the implementation of the programme were held with the Turkish partners.
New partner country: deepened trade relations with Türkiye
Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck and the Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat met in Berlin on 27 September 2024. They took the opportunity of the Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) to deepen the bilateral trade relations between the two countries, signing a Joint Declaration on the Participation of Türkiye in the Partnering in Business with Germany Programme.
