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The Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade (Chris Bryant)
The third round of negotiations on an enhanced free trade agreement with Turkey took place in Ankara during the week commencing 17 November 2025.
Negotiations were productive, with positive progress being made in a number of areas:
Trade in services
Constructive discussions were held across financial services, professional and business services, domestic regulation, and entry and temporary stay. The UK set out proposals aimed at giving greater legal certainty and transparency for services suppliers. Both sides explored avenues for regulatory co-operation to support open and stable markets, and continued to narrow outstanding issues and further consolidate text across these chapters.
Trade in goods
Negotiators continued to discuss text proposals and relevant data across trade in goods, with a view to unlocking commercially meaningful opportunities for UK exporters. Significant progress was made on customs and trade facilitation, focused on enabling predictable, transparent and efficient border procedures through enhanced co-operation between customs authorities. On sanitary and phytosanitary measures, both sides continued to discuss practical co-operation to facilitate safe trade in agrifoods while maintaining and upholding the UK’s high standards.
Sustainability and collaboration
Positive exchanges were held on labour, anti-corruption and environment, building on work from previous rounds. Discussions also advanced on good regulatory practice with the shared aim of supporting open, transparent and predictable regulatory environments that reduce unnecessary barriers to trade, and support innovators and SMEs.
Additional areas
Text-based discussions continued on dispute settlement and the enforcement of intellectual property rights. Both sides also worked to refine and clarify respective approaches across Government procurement, state-owned enterprises and subsidies. On trade remedies, officials held further exchanges to build a common understanding of practices and mutual processes.
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 contribute to jobs and prosperity in the UK, with trade between the two totalling around £28 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2025.
The UK will only ever sign a trade agreement that aligns with the UK’s national interests, upholding our high standards across a range of sectors, including protections for the national health service.
The fourth round of negotiations is expected to take place in early 2026. Ministers will update Parliament on the progress of discussions with Turkey as they continue to progress.
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