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The World Trade Organization (WTO) was created on 1st January 1995. Turkey became a founding member of the WTO on 26 April 1995. The WTO together with the multilateral trading system is considered by Turkey as the principal organization which can benefit an understanding of Turkey's trade. Their rules and principles will be the rational basis on which all trade relations either at regional or bilateral will be built.

Turkey, as a developing country, acceded to the GATT in 1951 under the Torquay Protocol and has actively participated in all the multilateral trade negotiations meetings, including the Uruguay Round. At the end of the Uruguay round following the signing of the agreements in Marrakesh on 15 April 1994, the World Trade Organization (WTO) was created on 1st January 1995. Turkey became a founding member of the WTO on 26 April 1995. Turkey believes that the universally agreed international trade system embodied within the WTO and based on the principles of reciprocity and non-discrimination can serve the interests and welfare of the whole global community.
The WTO and the system of multilateral trading which dates from the GATT era have proved that the opening up of markets and the maintenance of free trade in a transparent manner is necessary and essential. The liberalization of trade at regional or bilateral level can also contribute to liberalization and trade expansion in the global context. Therefore, Turkey, with its wide range of economic and social approaches, bridging very different regions of the world, considers establishing bilateral and regional trade relations as valuable opportunities to further enhance trade liberalization.
Within its regional framework, Turkey has a diverse network of regional initiatives, which not only enhances economic and trade relations among member countries but also serves to build stability, peace and prosperity in that part of the world. Nevertheless, the most important and boldest step taken by Turkey is the realization of the Customs Union with the European Union, which aims eventually at full integration.
All of these initiatives should be considered as complementary tools of Turkey's foreign trade policy which is fully committed to the liberalization of trade at multilateral level under the auspices of the WTO. There can be no doubt that the basic guideline that Turkey follows in its bilateral and regional trade relations is that international trade should be carried out in line with the spirit of the WTO. This entails the gradual opening up of markets on the basis of reciprocity and non-discrimination. As long as the basic principles of the multilateral trading system are fully respected, trade liberalization both regionally and bilaterally will not interfere in any way, but rather strengthen the benefits of the multilateral trading system.
The WTO together with the multilateral trading system is considered by Turkey as the principal organization which can benefit an understanding of Turkey's trade. Their rules and principles will be the rational basis on which all trade relations either at regional or bilateral will be built. This stance is essential given the WTO’s and the multilateral trading system’s world-wide membership and its unique legal identity.
Within this framework, Turkey attaches great importance to the WTO Doha Negotiations Round, and believes that this round of negotiations presents an opportunity for achieving a more open, fair, balanced, transparent and development-orientated trading system.
For more information please visit the website of Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade

http://www.investinturkey.gov.tr