Department for Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Turkish Minister for Trade Ömer Bolat have met in London to start the negotiations to update the Free Trade Agreement (“FTA”) between the two countries on 14 March 2024. The negotiations are a milestone showing the strong determination of both parties to strengthen trade relations. In the meeting, Bolat has stated he believes that updating the FTA and expanding it to different areas of commerce will help to increase the volume of trade and further contribute to the strong cooperation between two countries. The current FTA ensures the preservation of existing custom practices after the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union. Following the review efforts carried out by the parties to update the FTA and turn it into a more comprehensive agreement, the decision to start negotiations was taken on July 18, 2023. As a result of updating the FTA, it is aimed to expand the agreement to include more areas such as services, investments, and agriculture.