Dr.Zeynel Abidin Erdem, Chairman of Turkish-Spanish Business Council, declared that they target to increase the commercial volume between Turkey and Spain up to 4 billion dollars. Stating that the commercial volume between the two countries was 300 million dollars 10 years ago, Erdem said, “The commercial volume between Turkey and Spain, which increases every day, has today reached to 3 billion 200 million dollars”.

Erdem stressed that there were signs alerting that the Spanish firms who shifted their purchasing from the Far East to Turkey due to SARS crisis have now started to tend back to Farr Eastern countries as the crisis ceased and warned Turkish firms who intend to export goods to Spain on price and competition.

In his speech to DUNYA, Zeynel Abidin said that the commercial volume between Turkey and Spain has improved in favor of Turkey by the time. Erdem, stating that the shift in the commercial volume between Turkey and Spain in favor of Turkey is the consequence of active endeavors of both Turkish and Spanish businessmen and the success of organizations aimed at selling more goods to Spain, added, “If we have demonstrated a success in turning Turkish-Spanish commerce, which used to show a deficit of 50 % against Turkey, into the advantage of Turkey, this is because that we have increased the organizations of Turkish businessmen in Spain.

The target of Business Council
Telling that there were 72 active Spanish companies in Turkey, Erdem said, “The commercial volume between Turkey and Spain, which was 300 million dollars 10 years ago, has today reached to 3 billion 200 million dollars. Turkey imports goods of about 300 – 400 million dollars from Spain and in response to this, exports goods of 1 billion 700 – 800 million dollars. The target of DEIK Turkish- Spanish business council is to increase these figures up to 2,5 billion dollars for export and 1,5 billion dollars for import. As far I follow, we are developing our commercial volume with Spain by increasing 20 – 30 millions quarterly. This was ensured by training Turkish businessmen, informing and supporting them and enabling them to get in touch with the addressee firm”

Competition with Chinese prices
Erdem said that he received some info indicating that Spain started to repurchase goods from the Far East and underlined that Turkish firms intending to sell goods to Spain should take this situation into consideration and take appropriate precautions. Erdem stated that Spanish firms who purchased goods from Turkey instead of the Far East due to SARS crisis have started to tend back to Farr Eastern countries as the crisis