Update following Round 4 of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Turkey

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HLWS1420

Update following Round 4 of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Turkey

Statement made on 18 March 2026

Statement UIN HLWS1420

Statement made by

Lord Stockwood

Minister for Investment

Labour

Life peer

Lords

Statement

My hon Friend the Minister of State (Chris Bryant MP) has today made the following statement.
The fourth round of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Turkey took place in London during the week commencing 23 February 2026.
Negotiations were productive, with positive progress being made in a number of areas:
Trade in Services
Constructive discussions took place across a range of technical areas, including Investment, Digital Trade, Telecommunications, Cross‑Border Trade in Services, the Movement of Business Persons and Legal Services. Both sides continued to engage productively, building on progress made in previous rounds.
Trade in Goods
Detailed discussions took place across Trade in Goods, Customs and Trade Facilitation, and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. Negotiators continued to discuss proposals and relevant data with a view to unlocking commercially meaningful opportunities for UK exporters. On Customs and Trade Facilitation, discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between customs authorities to support predictable, transparent and efficient border procedures. On Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, both sides continued exchanges on practical cooperation to facilitate safe trade in agri‑food products while maintaining and upholding the UK’s high standards.
Additional areas
Substantial progress was made across a number of additional chapters, including Intellectual Property, Government Procurement, Anti‑Corruption, Labour, Environment, State‑Owned Enterprises and Dispute Settlement. Both sides continued constructive engagement on regulatory and institutional provisions to support the effective implementation of any future agreement.
Economic growth is our first mission in government, and FTAs have an important role to play in achieving this. A stronger trade relationship with Turkey will support jobs and prosperity in the UK, with trade between the two totalling £28.3 billion in the 12 months ending in September 2025, representing an increase of 5.8% from the previous 12 months (
1
).
The UK will only ever sign a trade agreement which aligns with the UK’s national interests, upholding our high standards across a range of sectors.
The fifth round of negotiations is expected to take place before summer. Ministers will update Parliament on the progress of discussions with Turkey as negotiations continue.

Statement from

Department for Business and Trade

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Department for Business and Trade

Update following Round 4 of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Turkey

Chris Bryant

Minister of State

Labour, Rhondda and Ogmore

Statement made 18 March 2026

HCWS1415

Commons