Handshake, Sip, Socialize, and Spark Connections! That’s the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye.Many members joined us for mingling, exchanging ideas, all while enjoying refreshing drinks.Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul was the perfect setting to mix business with a bit of fun.Did you know that: Pera Palace Hotel has a historical connection to Belgium through the Orient Express; the hotel was originally built in 1892 to accommodate passengers of the luxurious train which ran between Paris and Istanbul; the Compagnie Internationale des Wagon-Lits, founded by Georges Nagelmackers, is the company behind the Orient Express and was Belgian-founded and headquartered in Brussels; because of the Orient Express was a major European transportation link, the Pera Palace Hotel became a key destination for many elite European travelers, including Belgians.Thank you Ambassador Hendrik Van de Velde and Consul-General Tim Van Anderlecht for your relentless support to our Chamber.Stay tuned for the next one.

Our Chamber had a productive meeting on February 21st,2025  with Ethem Tokgozlu and Ayşe Ç. from Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, the official organization for promoting Türkiye’s investment opportunities to the global business community and providing assistance to investors before, during, and after their entry into Türkiye. Opportunities for cooperation with the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye and its members were discussed and identified. Türkiye, nexus of the world.Türkiye, nexus of investment.Türkiye, nexus of talent.

As a member of ETTIC, our President Hans Broucke was invited to the ETTIC member meeting to discuss the agenda for 2025 and a specific meeting with Deputy Minister Bozay on EU – Turkiye trade and investment issues.This meeting was followed by a New Year reception at the Shangri-La Bosphorus Istanbul hotel attended by its members,  the diplomatic-economic European networks and our Chamber’s Secretary General and Board members.Do you know that the BLCCT is a founding member of ETTIC?The European Turkish Trade and Investment Council (ETTIC) is a non-profit organization that promotes trade, economic cooperation, and investment between Turkey and European countries. It aims to strengthen economic ties by fostering business collaboration, facilitating trade agreements, and encouraging investment opportunities. ETTIC typically serves as a platform for networking, advocacy, and dialogue between stakeholders in the Turkish and European markets, including businesses, investors, and policymakers.

We, as the Belgium-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye, are pleased to reflect on the successful convening of the "Macroeconomic Outlook of Türkiye” event. Held on December 9th, 2024, at the prestigious Consulate-General of Belgium in Istanbul, the event brought together esteemed participants for an evening of insightful discussions on Türkiye's economic landscape.With Dr. Ahmet Çimenoğlu, Chief Economist at Koç Holding, as the keynote speaker, in cooperation with Yapi Kredi Crossborder Banking Unit, attendees were privy to expert analyses and perspectives on critical topics such as Turkiye’s economic landscape and the business expectation for 2025. The event served as a platform for constructive dialogue and networking opportunities among professionals, facilitating a deeper understanding of the factors shaping Türkiye's economic trajectory.We extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. Ahmet Çimenoğlu for his valuable contributions and commend all participants for their active engagement, which collectively contributed to the event's success. As we look forward to future endeavors, we remain committed to fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange within Türkiye's professional community.

The Board of the European-Turkish Trade and Investment Council, ETTIC, met with the Minister of Finance and Treasury of Türkiye, Mehmet Şimşek, at his office in Ankara for an introduction and update of ETTIC. ETTIC is an initiative of the bi-lateral European Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Türkiye with the aim to advocate the interests of European investors in Türkiye at the European Institutions in Brussels and the public sectors and diplomatic networks in Europe and Türkiye. After detailed introductions and an update of ETTIC’s overal activities by the Chairperson of ETTIC, Dr. Markus C. Slevogt, intense discussions were held about the Customs Union, particularly about the urgent need of its modernization and upgrade, which will result in a substantial benefit to both Türkiye and Europe.We thank Mr Simsek for hosting us. His valuable recommendations, advice and guidance will help us succeed in our upcoming visit to the European Institutions and stakeholders in Brussels. 

As President of the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye, Hans Broucke was delighted to attend the Belgium in Türkiye Network Days held in Ankara and act as guest speaker on the topic of “Türkiye’s economic outlook & consequences for Belgian business”.Belgium is the 6th European supplier to Turkiye and its 7th European customer. The Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye values the cooperation with the Belgian Embassy in Ankara, the Consulate General office in Istanbul, Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), hub.brussels and Wallonia Export & Investment Agency (AWEX).

The Extraordinary General Assembly Meeting of the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye was held at the Belgian Consulate General in Istanbul on October 26th,2024.At the general assembly, the Board of Directors and Board of Auditors members were elected for the new term. At the first meeting of the new Board of Directors, Mr. Hans Wilfried J.Broucke, Board Member of TEB BNP Paribas, was elected as the new Chairperson of the Board. Mr. Ahmet Turgut, General Manager of Barry Callebaut Eurasia , and Mr. Gürcan İmdat, General Manager of Picanol Tekstil Makinaları, were elected as new vice-chairpersons. Mr. Asım Günalp was elected as the new Secretary-General and Ms. Nil Tunaşar Pakyürek as new treasurer of the Chamber; Mr. Şerhan Şimşek and Ms. Zeynep Bosna were elected as the new Board Members. We thank Consul General Mr. Tim Van Anderlecht for hosting us at the Consulate General, and our members for attending. We want to welcome our new Board Members and convey our congratulations and sincere wishes for the term between 2024-2026.

Our Chamber participated in the annual BLCCA Academy (Belgian Luxembourg Chambers of Commerce Abroad).The BLCCA Academy is a highlight in the calendar of the network of chambers abroad. It allows different members to exchange their best practices and various experiences, but also to meet for a simple moment of exchange in all conviviality.This year the event took place in Bruges, also called the Venice of the North!Besides workshops, 3 incubators were presented. Agristo, a Belgian producer of pre-fried and frozen fries, was visited, as well as LVD, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of metal sheet working equipment.We are looking forward to the 2025 edition!

We, as the Belgium-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye, are pleased to reflect on the successful convening of the "Macroeconomic Outlook of Türkiye: Inflation Fight" event. Held on April 16th, 2024, at the prestigious Consulate-General of Belgium in Istanbul, the event brought together esteemed participants for an evening of insightful discussions on Türkiye's economic landscape.With Mr. Hakan Aklar, Chief Economist at TEB, as the keynote speaker, attendees were privy to expert analyses and perspectives on critical topics such as the Central Bank of Türkiye's inflation management strategies, Türkiye's inflationary challenges, and the economic outlook post-first quarter. The event served as a platform for constructive dialogue and networking opportunities among professionals, facilitating a deeper understanding of the factors shaping Türkiye's economic trajectory.We extend our sincere appreciation to Mr. Hakan Aklar for his valuable contributions and commend all participants for their active engagement, which collectively contributed to the event's success. As we look forward to future endeavors, we remain committed to fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange within Türkiye's professional community.

On March 26, the Belgian Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce had the esteemed opportunity to visit Yeni Elektrik, a significant investment by Unit in the Kocaeli region. Yeni Elektrik, located in İMES Industrial Zone, is a Combined Cycle Power Plant with a capacity of 865 MW. During our visit, we were thoroughly impressed by the state-of-the-art technological infrastructure at Yeni Elektrik, contributing significantly to Unit's expansive generation portfolio spanning Turkey, Central, and Eastern Europe, with a total capacity of 2,900 MW.We extend our sincere gratitude to our esteemed board member, Mr. Alp Tanrıover, for his invaluable guidance and expertise provided during the visit. Additionally, we express our appreciation to the Plant manager for their gracious hospitality, which greatly enriched our experience. We would also like to thank all our members for their valuable time and contributions.

☀️The Belgian Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye welcomed summer with a special celebration where Turkish, Belgian, and Luxembourgish communities came together on June 14, 2023.Participants enjoyed a pleasant evening with delicious food, refreshing drinks, and a live Trio beside the Bosphorus at Hotel Les Ottomans. During the event, plaques were presented to Consul General of Belgium, H.E. Mr. Tim Van Anderlecht, our members who completed their 25th year as chamber members, and our event sponsors.We would like to thank Consul General of Belgium, H.E. Mr. Tim Van Anderlecht for joining us. We also want to thank sponsors of the event La Lorraine Bakery Group Turkiye & CIS, Unit International, Anadolu Efes, Kavaklıdere Wines and all the participants for their valuable time and contributions.

On June 9, 2023, we visited the Manisa Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Manisa Organized Industrial Zone with our President, Mr. Tuğrul Şeremet, our Vice President, Ms. Neslihan Nigiz Ulak, our Board Members, Mr. Ahmet Turgut, and Mr. Hans Broucke. While Brussels Capital Region Commercial and Economic Attaché in Türkiye, Mr. Stefano Missir di Lusignano and Trade & Economic Attaché at the Embassy of Luxembourg in Türkiye, Mr. Nicolas-Koray Namer accompanied us during this visit, we had the chance to meet with the Manisa Chamber of Commerce and Industry and learn more about the region's needs.We would like to thank the entire Manisa OIZ family, especially the Chairperson of the Board of Manisa OIZ, Mr. Sait Cemal Türek, and the Chairperson of the Board of Manisa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Mehmet Yılmaz for hosting us.

We organized La Lorraine Bakery Group Plant and Manisa Industrial Zone visit on June 9th, Friday in Manisa. Following a breakfast, where we had the chance to taste the delicious products of La Lorraine, we had the LLBG Company presentation and plant tour. After the end of the tour, we went to Manisa Organized Industrial Zone Park to meet with the presidents of Manisa Chamber of Commerce and Industry & Manisa Organized Industrial Zone. After the meetings, we had a lunch with the participants at the Manisa 45 Business Hotel Restaurant.We would like to thank General Manager at La Lorraine Bakery Group Turkiye & CIS, Ms. Neslihan Nigiz Ulak, and Plant Manager Mr. Serkan Kocaarabacı for their warm reception and hospitality. We would also like to thank Brussels Capital Region Commercial and Economic Attaché in Türkiye, Mr. Stefano Missir di Lusignano, Trade & Economic Attaché at the Embassy of Luxembourg in Türkiye, Mr. Nicolas-Koray Namer, and all our members for their valuable time and contributions.

On 26 May 2023, we visited the Eskişehir Chamber of Industry with our chairperson Mr. Tuğrul Şeremet and our board member Mr. Ahmet Turgut. During this visit, we had a chance to meet with the board of the Eskişehir Chamber of Industry and learn more about the region's needs. Explaining an intense export from Eskişehir to EU countries, especially to Belgium, Eskişehir Chamber of Industry Chairperson Mr. Celalettin Kesikbaş stated that joint projects could be carried out to develop mutual business relations.

We organized Barry Callebaut Eurasia Factory and R&D Center visit on May 25th, Thursday in Eskişehir.Following the luncheon kindly sponsored by Hilton Garden Inn Eskişehir, we went to Barry Callebaut Plant. We had a Barry Callebaut Group Company presentation, Factory and R&D Center tour, and chocolate tasting session at the event.We would like to thank General Manager at Barry Callebaut Eurasia, Mr. Ahmet Turgut, and Plant Manager Mr. Emin Yılmaz for their warm reception and hospitality. We would also like to thank the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Türkiye, H.E. Mr. Paul Huynen; Brussels Capital Region Commercial and Economic Attaché in Türkiye, Mr. Stefano Missir di Lusignano; Trade & Economic Attaché at the Embassy of Luxembourg in Türkiye, Mr. Nicolas-Koray Namer, and all our members for their valuable time and contributions.

The Ordinary General Assembly Meeting of the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye was held at the Belgian Consulate General in Istanbul. The meeting began with a minute of silence to honor the victims of the devastating February 6 earthquakes in Türkiye.At the general assembly, the Board of Directors and Board of Auditors members were elected for the new term. At the first meeting of the new Board of Directors, Mr. Tugrul Seremet, Country Manager of H.Essers Türkiye, was re-elected as the Chairperson of the Board. Ms. Neslihan Nigiz Ulak, Co-Founder of Sobrinus Consulting and Education & independent board member at La Lorraine Bakery Group Turkiye & CIS, and Mr. Dr. Serhan Simsek, Group CEO of CT Pharma and TFLL Pharma BV, were elected as new vice-chairpersons of the BLCCT. While Mr. Mert Bülbül and Mr. Egemen Döven were re-elected respectively as the Secretary-General and treasurer of the Chamber; Mr. Ahmet Turgut, Mr. Hans Broucke, Ms. Nil Tunasar and, Ms. Zeynep Bosna were elected as the new Board Members. We thank Consul General Mr. Tim Van Anderlecht for hosting us at the Consulate General, and our members for attending.We want to welcome our new Board Members and convey our congratulations and sincere wishes for the term between 2023-2025.

After the devastating earthquake disaster, we experienced on February 6, Türkiye’s Bilateral Chambers of Commerce have been working together with great synergy to provide the necessary support to disaster areas, both locally and internationally, and we continue our work with the hope to see concrete reflections of our solidarity in the medium and long term as well as in the short term.In this context, we would like to thank Earthquake Expert Mr. Yoshinori MORIWAKI, search and rescue expert and disaster volunteer coordinator Mr. Rezzak ELAZAT, Assembly Buildings, Theodora Sevgi Doktorları and all participants who made it possible for us to organize our fourth "Basic Disaster Readiness Training" yesterday.We wish for the wounds to be healed as soon as possible and for all necessary measures to be taken as quickly as possible to prevent these disasters from recurring.

On April 11, we organized a seminar titled "2023 New Tax Structuring and Tax Amnesty in Türkiye" at our office. We thank Mr. Erdem Tarlığ, managing partner at EUTAX, and Mr. Abdullah Kılınç, Tax Consultant at EUTAX, for their informative presentation.We would also like to thank all the participants for their valuable time and contributions.

On March 27, we organized an event, the Macroeconomic Outlook of Türkiye: Impacts of Earthquakes and General Elections & a networking cocktail at the Consulate General of Belgium in Istanbul.Almost two months after the devastating earthquake that shocked Türkiye and the world, we took a moment to remember the victims and express our gratitude to all people, institutions, and companies supporting the relief efforts and reconstruction of the impacted area.We thank Mr. Hakan Aklar, Chief Economist at TEB, for having framed the economic & financial consequences of the disaster and the impact of upcoming general elections on the Turkish economy.We present our special thanks to H.E. Ms. Angèle Da Cruz, Ambassador of Luxembourg to Türkiye, for honoring the event, and the Consul General of Belgium in Istanbul, H.E. Mr. Tim Van Anderlecht, for hosting the event at the Belgian Palace in Istanbul.

📌After the devastating earthquake disaster we experienced on February 6, Türkiye’s Bilateral Chambers of Commerce have been working together with great synergy to provide the necessary support to disaster areas, both locally and internationally, and we continue our work with the hope to see concrete reflections of our solidarity in the medium and long term as well as in the short term.In this context, we would like to thank search and rescue expert and disaster volunteer coordinator Mr. Rezzak Elazat, the Şişli Belediyesi, Kadıköy Belediyesi and all of the participants who made it possible for us to organize this "Basic Disaster Readiness Training" event respectively on March 7th and March 10th.We wish for the wounds to be healed as soon as possible and for all necessary measures to be taken as quickly as possible to prevent these disasters from recurring. 

As we celebrate today International Women's Day, we hope to see substantial achievements in gender equality, freedom, justice, and an end to violence against women.We support creating a gender-equal world, and we celebrate all women worldwide!

The devastating effects of the earthquakes have shaken us all. The rescue work of those affected continues under difficult weather conditions and extreme time pressure. Implementing joint actions to reduce the emergency situation in the earthquake regions is now all the more important. The Belgian Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye is already in close contact with bilateral foreign chamber representations active in Türkiye and the relevant Turkish authorities.Türkiye Earthquake Donation from Abroad Below you can find handpicked foundations and fundraising campaigns raised for the earthquake that happened in South-East Turkey on the 6th of February 2023. Please browse them for different payment options and currency preferences.AHBAPhttps://ahbap.org/disasters-turkey Bank : Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş.Account Name : Ahbap DerneğiTL : TR12 0006 4000 0011 0211 3800 59USD : TR32 0006 4000 0021 0212 1502 62EURO : TR15 0006 4000 0021 0212 1502 77GBP : TR37 0006 4000 0021 0212 2608 49Bank Swift Code : ISBKTRISTürkiye based aid organization.The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD)https://en.afad.gov.tr/earthquake-humanitarian-aid-campaign Bank : Türk Ekonomi Bankası (TEB INC.)Branch : ÇANKAYA ANKARATL : TR90 0003 2000 0000 0077 3407 66USD : TR13 0003 2000 0000 0077 3407 94EURO : TR34 0003 2000 0000 0077 3408 04Bank Swift Code : TEBUTRISThe Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) is an institution working to prevent disasters and minimize disaster-related damages, plan and coordinate post-disaster response, and promote cooperation among various government agencies.Turkish Philanthropy Fundshttps://donate.tpfund.org/give/465112/#!/donation/checkout US based aid foundation supporting Turkish Americans and Turkey. Founded by a Boğaziçi University alumnus.Needs Map (İhtiyaç Haritasi)https://fonzip.com/ihtiyacharitasi/afet-haritasi-deprem-yardim-kampanyasi Türkiye based charity organization. The donation page is in Turkish.AKUT Foundationhttps://www.akutvakfi.org.tr/bagis-yap/ NGO for rescue operations in Turkey. The website is in Turkish, however the donation is not earthquake specific.Kind regards,The Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye

Are you active abroad, or planning to be? Do you have specific questions about starting a business abroad, contracts with partners or administrative procedures in another country?On 8 December, Belgian Chambers is organizing the Chambers Export Day, a free event for companies. You will have the opportunity to ask all your questions during 25-minute online meetings with all participating Belgian Chambers abroad, each of them covering a specific region.Belgian Chambers abroad? Exactly! The Belgian-Luxembourg Chambers of Commerce Abroad represent the interests of Belgian and Luxembourg companies abroad. They are managed by entrepreneurs, like you, who help each other and share their experience in the field. A source of richness that we make available for a whole day. How does it work?If you’d like to participate, it’s easy: log on to the Conversation Starter platform and answer the questions about your activities, the topics you want to discuss and the continents or regions you’re interested in or in which you are already active. Then you can directly book an appointment with the Chamber(s) of your choice. Don’t forget to mention if you’re a member of a Chamber. Everything takes place online, no download is required. Register now! More infoRegistration

Under the auspices of the Belgian Consulate General in Istanbul, the Belgian Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Turkey organized a reception and conference given by Prof. Dr. Ilber Ortaylı on “The Historic Relations between Belgium and Turkey: Building Strong Ties for the Future” at the Pera Palace Hotel on May 12, 2022.We would like to thank H.E. Mr. Serge Dickschen, Prof. Ilber Ortaylı, president of Belgian Chambers Mr. René Branders, sponsors of the event and all the participants for their valuable time and contributions.

Reputed historian Prof. Ilber Ortaylı and our Chairperson of the Board, Mr. Tuğrul Şeremet, visited H.E. Mr. Serge Dickschen at the Belgian Consulate General in Istanbul. They discussed the course of the joint event on the bilateral historical relations between Belgium and Turkey that will take place in May under the auspices of the Belgian Consulate General in Istanbul.During the meeting, H.E. Mr. Serge Dickschen had the opportunity to examine the original historical documents in the archives of the consulate building, Palais de Belgique, together with Prof. Ilber Ortaylı.We would like to thank H.E. Mr. Serge Dickschen and Prof. Ilber Ortaylı for their valuable time.

As part of the CEO Lunch: Factory Visit series, we organized Soudal Turkey factory visit on March 18, Friday in Istanbul, Tuzla.There was a factory tour, Fix All product demo, quick lunch, and Soudal Company presentation at the event. Following this, the chief economist of TEB will delivered a speech on the Turkish economy's future.We plan to continue this series by targeting different sectors in each visit.We would like to thank General Manager at Soudal Turkey, Mr. Engin Tanrıverdi, for their warm reception and hospitality. We would also like to thank the Belgian Consul General in Istanbul, H.E. Mr. Serge Dickschen; Trade & Economic Attaché at the Embassy of Luxembourg in Turkey, Mr. Nicolas-Koray Namer, and all the participants for their valuable time and contributions.You can click here to watch the event video.

⚖️ Our webinar titled “Legal Aspect of Remote Working” was held on Thursday, January 20, 2022. Mr. Mert Bülbül, BLCCT Secretary-General, delivered the opening speech of the webinar. Senior Associates Ms. Fazilet Karabacaklar and Ms. Ayşe Naz Duman from Egemenoglu | Law Firm were the speakers in the event. In their presentation, they sought to answer what the remote working regulation brought.The BLCCT would like to thank Ms. Fazilet Karabacaklar, Ms. Ayşe Naz Duman, and all the participants for their valuable time and contributions.

We organized Puratos Turkey factory visit on November 17, Wednesday in İzmir, Tire. The BLCCT Chairperson of the Board Mr. Tugrul Seremet together with BLCCT Board Member Mr. Hans Broucke were present in the event.There was a lunch meeting, a factory tour, and Puratos Company presentation. Following this, the Round Table Discussion on Sustainability was moderated by BLCCT Board Member, Mr. Hans Broucke.We would like to thank General Manager at Puratos Turkey & Azerbaijan, Mr. Bora Akın for their warm reception and hospitality. We would also like to thank Trade and Investment Commissioners respectively representing the Brussels Capital Region in Turkey and Brazil, Mr. Stefano Missir di Lusignano and Mr. Dieter Poleyn, and all the participants for their valuable time and contributions.You can click here to watch the event video.