The political economy of Turkey-EU customs union after the treaty of Lisbon: A Reappraisal

This article analyses the European Union’s (EU) trade policy highlighting the gradual shift towards a more penetrating EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) policy and institutional changes brought about by the Treaty of Lisbon and their impact on trade policy’s functioning. Emphasizing Turkey’s changing trade patterns and stressing the growing salience of non-EU trade partners, the article opens up a debate on the rationale of current Customs Union. The analysis brings to the understanding of the on-going cases of trade deflection negatively affecting Turkish economy and the drawbacks arisen from the EU’s changing FTA policy. Finally, the political and technical aspects of Turkey’s accession process are discussed to shed further light on the current and future meaning behind today’s Customs Union.