International Organizations
European Union
Overview
The European Union (EU) is a unique economic and political union between 27 European countries. The predecessor of the EU was created in the aftermath of the Second World War. The first steps were to foster economic cooperation: the idea being that countries that trade with one another become economically interdependent and so more likely to avoid conflict. The result was the European Economic Community, created in 1958 with the initial aim of increasing economic cooperation between six countries: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Since then, 22 more countries joined (and the United Kingdom left the EU in 2020) and a huge single market (also known as the ‘internal’ market) has been created and continues to develop towards its full potential. What began as a purely economic union has evolved into an organisation spanning many different policy areas, from climate, environment and health to external relations and security, justice and migration. A name change from the European Economic Community to the European Union in 1993 reflected this.
Several institutions are involved in making decisions at EU level, in particular:
- the European Parliament, which represents the EU’s citizens and is directly elected by them;
- the European Council, which consists of the Heads of State or Government of the EU Member States;
- The Council, (also called the Council of the European Union) which represents the governments of the EU Member States;
- the European Commission, which represents the interests of the EU as a whole.
The aims of the European Union within its borders are:
- promote peace, its values and the well-being of its citizens
- offer freedom, security and justice without internal borders, while also taking appropriate measures at its external borders to regulate asylum and immigration and prevent and combat crime
- establish an internal market
- achieve sustainable development based on balanced economic growth and price stability and a highly competitive market economy with full employment and social progress
- protect and improve the quality of the environment
- promote scientific and technological progress
- combat social exclusion and discrimination
- promote social justice and protection, equality between women and men, and protection of the rights of the child
- enhance economic, social and territorial cohesion and solidarity among EU countries
- respect its rich cultural and linguistic diversity
- establish an economic and monetary union whose currency is the euro
The aims of the EU within the wider world are:
- uphold and promote its values and interests
- contribute to peace and security and the sustainable development of the Earth
- contribute to solidarity and mutual respect among peoples, free and fair trade, eradication of poverty and the protection of human rights
- strict observance of international law
The European Union is based on the rule of law. This means that every action taken by the EU is founded on treaties that have been approved voluntarily and democratically by all EU countries. The treaties are negotiated and agreed by all the EU Member States and then ratified by their parliaments or by a referendum.
The last amending treaty, the Lisbon Treaty, came into force on 1 December 2009. Earlier treaties are now incorporated into the current consolidated version, which comprises the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
More recently, the EU agreed upon the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union, an intergovernmental treaty that obliges participating countries to have firm rules to guarantee balanced public budgets and strengthens the governance of the euro area.
Relations with the EU
Background of Türkiye-EU Relations (Ministry of EU Affairs)
EU Accession Process
The process of accession include negotiations with each candidate country on the timing of and regulations for adopting and enacting EU Acquis Communautaire (commonly referred to as the “Acquis”) as well as the methods of implementation. Candidate countries are required to adopt the EU acquis as a whole. It is not sufficient for a candidate country to enact laws or regulations to become an EU member. It is necessary to create the required "judicial and administrative" capacity to be able to apply the adopted legislation. In other words, the candidate country has the responsibility to create institutions or units that will implement the legislation and to strengthen their implementation capacity.
The negotiations with Türkiye started only after Copenhagen criteria were met. Türkiye officially began accession negotiations on October 3, 2005, with the Intergovernmental Conference held in Luxembourg. The process of accession negotiations refers to the time period, in which the following issues are determined for each candidate state: How much time is needed for the candidate state to adopt EU Acquis as a part of internal legislation and to put it into force? How is the candidate country going to implement EU Acquis in an effective manner? The EU Acquis is the name given to the EU's legal system. It consists of about 120 thousand pages. Acquis includes the treaties which established the EU and were subsequently amended, the accession treaties that candidate countries signed when joining the EU as well as all the legislation enacted by bodies such as the Council, the Commission and the Court of Justice of the European Communities. This acquis covers 35 chapters within the framework of the Negotiating Chapters. The chapter headings of the EU Acquis are as follows:
1- Free movement of goods 2- Freedom of movement for workers 3- Right of establishment and freedom to provide services 4- Free movement of capital 5- Public procurement 6- Company law 7- Intellectual property law 8- Competition policy 9- Financial services 10- Information society and media 11- Agriculture and rural development 12- Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy 13- Fisheries 14- Transport policy 15- Energy 16- Taxation 17- Economic and monetary policy 18- Statistics 19- Social policy and employment 20- Enterprise and industrial policy 21- Trans-European networks 22- Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments 23- Judiciary and fundamental rights 24- Justice, freedom and security 25- Science and research 26- Education and culture 27- Environment 28- Consumer and health protection 29- Customs union 30- External relations 31- Foreign, security and defense policy 32- Financial control 33- Financial and budgetary provisions 34- Institutions 35- Other issues
For the current status of negotiations, see: https://www.ab.gov.tr/37_en.html
What are the phases of the accession process?
Negotiations begin with the first stage of the process called “screening”. The leading actors at this stage are the European Commission and candidate country bureaucrats. The main purpose of screening, intended basically to speed up the pre-accession process and to prepare the candidate country for negotiations, is to provide information about the EU legislation to the Member State, to specify the differing points between the country's own legislation and the acquis, and to set forth a general agenda of accession and to determine potential problems which may arise within this process. As screening for each chapter is completed, the Commission presents a "screening report" to the candidate state. The evaluations and recommendations in this report provides the basis for the commencement of negotiations related to this chapter. The Commission assesses whether the candidate country is ready for negotiations based on the information it provides and specifies its situation in the screening report. In the final section of the report, the Commission either directly suggests opening negotiations for the chapter in question or requires that certain conditions –opening benchmarks- should first be met. The "screening report" related to any chapter is prepared by the European Commission and then submitted to the EU Council, where it has to be accepted in the form of an unanimous decision. Therefore, if the Commission has not determined any opening benchmarks, or if the Commission has done so, but the country has been able to fulfill the criteria in a certain period, the Commission can propose the opening of the chapter to negotiations with the screening report it has prepared to be submitted to the Council. All member states of the Council must unanimously agree upon this proposal of the Commission. Otherwise, the chapter cannot be opened for negotiations. The same procedure applies to the closing of the chapter. The negotiation chapters are temporarily closed initially if the candidate country is considered to comply with the acquis in terms of content and implementation. (Example: On June 12, 2006, the Science Research Chapter was opened and it was closed on the same date.) If the acquis compliance and implementation level of the candidate country is not considered satisfactory for the temporary closure of the chapter, closing benchmarks may be set in the Council taking into account the Commission's assessments. In such a case, the report stating that closing benchmarks have been met must be unanimously accepted by the Council. At first the chapters are temporarily closed. Then, at the end of the negotiation process, all chapters are re-evaluated and definitively closed. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, since the negotiation process takes many years, there may be significant changes in the acquis during this time, and the candidate country may need to comply with it, too. Secondly, the compliance level of the candidate country in the temporarily closed chapter may have decreased in time. The process can be briefly summarized as follows:
Screening (explanatory and detailed) -> screening report - > opening of chapters for negotiations, if considered satisfactory; or setting opening benchmarks if the criteria are not met -> opening the chapter for negotiation if opening benchmarks are met -> temporary closing of the chapter if the candidate country is compatible to the EU in terms of national law and implementation; or introducing closing benchmarks, -> closing the chapter definitively upon the alignment with the acquis, when the candidate country is ready for membership
Relations between the Ministry and EU
Our Ministry carries out the necessary work related to 13 chapters of the acquis, including “Chapter 2 on the Free Movement of Workers” and “Chapter 19 on Social Policy and Employment", both of which fall within the Ministry's scope of responsibility.
- Chapter 19 on Social Policy and Employment
Activities for working life have been conducted prioritizing the labour law, health and safety at work, social protection and social dialogue, employment policy, social inclusion, anti-discrimination, equality of women and men, unregistered employment and European Social Fund (ESF) headings. Along with incorporating EU legislation into domestic law, implementing it effectively and supervising the implementation in the aforementioned areas, further activities are ongoing to develop the institutional capacity of the relevant institutions. The important dates of the negotiation process as regards this chapter are as follows:
- Introductory Screening: 8-10 February 2006
- Detailed Screening: 20-22 March 2006
- End of screening Report: 4 September 2006
- Fulfilment of the chapter opening criteria
- Opening of the chapter for negotiations
The End of Screening Report introduced 2 opening benchmarks for the start of negotiations in the chapter:
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Harmonisation of trade union rights, in particular the right to organise, strike and collective bargaining, with EU standards and relevant ILO Conventions.
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Submission of an action plan for the progressive transposition, implementation and enforcement of the acquis in the topics covered by the chapter.
With the fulfilment of these opening criteria, the negotiation process will start in Chapter 19. Turkey has in fact fulfilled both criteria to a large extent. (The action plan was finalised in 2010 and submitted to the European Commission. Some legislative arrangements on trade union rights have been made and the agreed roadmap prepared by the High Level Working Group was submitted to the European Commission in 2015. Some additional arrangements are required in this area under the opening benchmark).
- Chapter 2 on the Free Movement of Workers
The concept of Free Movement of Workers, like other economic factors, refers to the movement of labour in the EU single market without encountering any obstacles. Free Movement of Workers is one of the four main freedom areas in the European Union Single Market. The chapter covers Access to the Labour Market, European Employment Services Communication Network, Coordination of Social Security Systems. Legislation under this chapter regulates the right of the citizens of the European Union member states, who perform income generating work affiliated to an employer, to work in another member country, and the right to benefit from equal treatment with other countries' citizens regarding subjects such as working conditions, social benefits and taxation. The right to work includes the right to seek employment in another member state, to reside and stay for such purpose, and to unite with other family members. Also, a system for coordinating social security has been developed based on this chapter so that the social security rights are not interrupted in cases where the European Union citizens and their family members registered within a specific social security system move to another Member State. The important dates of the negotiation process on this chapter are as follows:
- Introductory Screening: 19 July 2006
- Detailed Screening: 18 September 2006
- Finalisation of the End of screening Report
- Opening of the chapter to negotiations
Currently, end of screening report has not yet been officially communicated to us by the European Commission. The chapter is among the chapters unilaterally blocked by the Southern Cyprus Greek Administration (SCGA).
Türkiye-EU Association Law
I-LEGAL FOUNDATIONS OF TÜRKİYE-EU ASSOCIATION’S SOCIAL DIMENSION
Important legal documents in terms of Turkish-EU Association Law in the field of Social Rights are Ankara Agreement and the Additional Protocol, Decisions of the EU Association Council (OCD) numbered 2/76, 1/80, 3/80 and 1/95, and the Decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Communities (CJEU) regarding cases related to Turkish citizens, based on the aforementioned documents, the first one being the Decision issued on 30.09.1986. A large part of these decisions, which are binding on Member States, are on Association Council Decision No. 1/80, the rest of them relating to Ankara Agreement, the Additional Protocol and Association Council Decision No 3/80. These are major case law decisions protecting the social rights of Turkish citizens in the EU in an indisputable way. Our citizens can resort to them while seeking their rights before national administrative and judicial authorities. These are legal texts which are binding upon the member states and are superior to their national legislation. They cannot be changed with national regulations. In other words, these decisions include principal provisions which the national legislation should conform with.
As suggested by the European and Turkish experts in this field, the aforementioned documents are included in the narrow definition of Association Law whereas documents on fundamental rights signed by the United Nations (including ILO Conventions), the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Settlement Agreement, the European Convention on Social Security, the Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights on the social rights of immigrant workers, the Directives of EU on third world countries citizens, EU regulations on the equal treatment for recruitment and social security rights of those residing and working in Europe, Social Security and Labour Agreements signed between Türkiye and various member states as well as a number of other important international texts on the issue can be covered within the wide interpretation of Association Law. As indicated in the comments and explanations of the EU Commission and the European Court of Justice from time to time, it is also possible to refer to these legal documents while considering Association Law in a narrow sense and to benefit from their relevant provisions as supporting arguments.
Article 12 of Ankara Agreement, signed on September 12, 1963 to establish an association between Türkiye and the EU, secures a gradual introduction of freedom of movement for the workers of contracting parties, being inspired by Articles 48, 49 and 50 of the Treaty of the European Economic Community on free movement. Article 7 of Ankara Agreement obliges the signatory states to take all kinds of general and specific measures to fulfill the obligations arising from this agreement and to avoid regulations that may jeopardize the realization of the objectives of the agreement.
Article 36 of the Additional Protocol, which was signed on November 23, 1970 and which establishes a timetable for the implementation of the Ankara Agreement, provides that the freedom of movement shall be secured by progressive stages between the end of the twelfth and of the twenty-second year after entry into force of the Association Agreement, which covers the period between 1976-1986.
Article 37 of the Additional Protocol states that member states shall not discriminate workers of Turkish nationality employed in the Community as regards conditions of work and remuneration whereas Article 39 secures the coordination of social security measures for Turkish workers who enter into the labour market of member states. In other words, based on the articles of the Ankara Agreement and the Additional Protocol mentioned above, principles for ultimately achieving free movement have been specified; the intention to promote equality gradually in terms of the working conditions and social security rights of workers of the contracting parties has been indicated; and eliminating all the barriers against free movement has been set forth. Article 41 of this Protocol, which is of great importance, stipulates that new restrictive laws and practices cannot be introduced as of the effective date of the protocol regarding working, starting a business and conditions of residence, which is an inseparable part of these two, for Turkish citizens working with a legal status in EU member states.
Paragraph 2. under Article 36 of the Additional Protocol provides for the necessary arrangements for free movement between Türkiye and the Communities to be determined by the Association Council and the council has taken 4 tangible decisions on free movement and related issues, in accordance with the provisions of this article. These are Association Council Decisions No. 2/76, 1/80, 3/80 and 1/95 (ACD).
Accepted in 1976, Decision No. 2/76 specifies the principles of securing the first stage of free movement between 1976-1980, delineating the rights of Turkish workers and their family members, who have entered the labour market of Community countries.
The principles of the second stage of free movement, covering the period between 1980- 1983, were established with Decision No. 1/80, accepted in 1980 by the Association Council. Articles 6-15 of Decision No. 1/80, which replaced ACD No 2/76 by developing its provisions, include provisions on employment and free movement. Articles 6 and 7 regulating the employment law consolidated with the increase in years of Turkish workers’ employment as well as the employment rights of their family members are of special importance. The great majority of lawsuits of our citizens by the Court of Justice of the European Communities (CJEU) have been predicated on these articles. Article 6 postulates that a Turkish worker duly registered as belonging to the labour force of a Member State shall be entitled in that member state, after 1 year’s legal employment, to the renewal of his permit to work for the same employer; that he/she shall be entitled to respond to another offer of employment, with an employer of his choice, for the same occupation, after 3 years of legal employment; and that he/she shall enjoy free access to any paid employment after 4 years of legal employment. Article 7 lays down the employment conditions for the members of the family of a Turkish worker and the right to reside resulting therefrom.
Article 8 of the Decision indicates that priority shall be given to Turkish workers over the citizens of other third world countries in cases where it is not possible in the Community to meet an offer of employment by calling on the labour available on the employment market of the Member States.
Article 9 of the Decision No. 1/80 guarantees the right to equal treatment for children in terms of general education and vocational training while Article 10 grants the right to equal treatment for the Turkish workers as regards remuneration and other conditions of work. Article 13 bans the introduction of new restrictions on the conditions of access to employment applicable to Turkish workers and members of their families legally resident and employed in member states. Article 14 prohibits any restrictions on the provisions above, except for purposes including public interest, public security and public health.
Article 16 of the Decision assigned Association Council the task of determining the principles concerning the implementation of final phase whose commencement was envisaged as of 1 December 1983, yet despite the submittal of text of motion prepared by Turkish side for the final phase in 1983-1986 to the Community, no regulation was made in respect thereof. Due to the fact that the relation of partnership was for long interrupted from 1980 onwards, the Council of EU unilaterally suspended its commitment of free movement resulting from Association Agreement and Additional Protocol for an indefinite time on 24 November 1986 by adopting a decision envisaging a regulation excluding free movement for residence and work status of Turkish workers and family individuals in Community countries, not to mention reinforcement of the Decision No. 1/80, just before the date when free movement was expected to take effect pursuant to Additional Protocol, on the basis of a motion made by the Commission.
Another Association Council Decision concerning the social aspect is the Decision No. 3/80 dated 19 September 1980. This decision aims to ensure coordination of social security rights of Turkish workers and family members possessing work and residence permit in more than one of these countries, in the light of Regulation 1408/71 aimed at the coordination of social security schemes of the Community. It is still contentious whether this Decision is in force in its entirety, on account of the fact that the regulation on the application of this decision has not been introduced by the Council up to the present for incomprehensible reasons, despite several recallments and remarks made by the Commission and Court of Justice. Nevertheless, the Court of Justice decided on the binding and “direct impact” of this Association Council Decision and Additional Protocol on member states by interpreting certain articles thereof in some cases, stating that these are an integral part of Association, thus Community Law and provisions of these instruments, not necessitating additional regulation for application, are binding on the countries, in spite of absence of the Council’s Regulation on the application. A Recommendation on social issues was also issued in the Association Council Meeting No. 1/95 held on 6 March 1995 and forming Customs Union between Türkiye and EU. In the aforementioned Recommendation, it was envisaged that all kinds of measures be inquired for the establishment of a constant dialogue concerning Turkish workers legally employed in EU states and citizens of member states employed in Türkiye and for the provision of more effective integration of the workers in question.
- CERTAIN ISSUES ON THE FIELDS REGULATED BY ASSOCIATION LAW
- Issues Concerning Association Council Decision No. 1/80
Our citizens legally resident and employed in EU countries are subject to the legislation of these member countries on foreigners or restrictive implementations of administrative authorities, due to lack or deficient adoption of the privileged exclusive status compared to citizens of other third countries, granted by Association Council Decision No. 1/80 and they are faced with substantial impediments in exercising their rights arising from Association Council Decision No. 1/80. Besides, the Commission fails to duly put into place the mechanisms which are to impose sanctions to member countries due to lack of political will, for instance, it fails to duly initiate infringement proceedings provided by Article 169 of EEC Treaty (Treaty of Amsterdam, Article 226).
Although the issues vary in qualitative and quantitative terms by member states, it is observed that the ones where most problems with regard to the residence and work status are encountered by our citizens, a great majority of whom are resident in Germany, Holland, France, Austria and Belgium, are Germany, Austria, Holland and Denmark. This situation results from the regulations found in the legislations of these countries relating to foreigners, which include more restrictive provisions in comparison with other member states, falling behind the rights granted by Association Council Decision No. 1/80, under the influence of changes in policies on foreigners and perceptions in public opinions gradually gaining momentum after September 11 attacks in particular over the past decade. Judgements of Court of Justice of EU interpreting particularly Articles 6 and 7 of the aforementioned Association Council Decision in detail enabled the formation of major case law on Association Council Decision No. 1/80 as a result of our citizens’ legal struggle for the exercise of their rights arising thereby as from 1986. Affirming that association law is part of Community law, these judgements impose on member states the obligation to align their national legislation and implementations with association law. Despite the judgements of Court of Justice mentioned above, member states refrain from making regulations which will expand judicially obtained rights to include all our citizens from time to time.
The increase in the number of cases before Court of Justice relating to our citizens constitutes a fundamental means of “legal remedy” before both member states and EU institutions for the protection of rights of our citizens legally residing and working in EU countries, arising from association law. Referral of more cases to Court of Justice will be possible through review of case laws of the Court concerning our citizens and which will set precedent for them and by amplifying all kinds of notification activities at every level in this regard. Therefore, Part III elaborates on the judgements of Court of Justice viewed as crucial in terms of our citizens.
- Issues Concerning Association Council Decision No. 3/80
The issue concerning the application of Association Council Decision No. 3/80 adopted on the purpose of implementing social security schemes of member countries on Turkish workers and family individuals on the basis of Community Regulation No. 1408/71 setting out the coordination of social security rights belonging to citizens of member countries freely moving within the Community and Regulation on the Application of this Regulation No. 574/72 has not yet been ultimately resolved due to lack of issuance of the regulation on the application of this decision. Unlike Association Council Decision No. 1/80, the aforementioned Association Council Decision does not cover a provision as regards date of its entry into force. The motion of the Commission submitted to the Council in 1983 concerning issuance of a Regulation proposal to determine the application procedure of Association Council Decision No. 3/80 has not been taken into consideration up until today for political reasons and the aforementioned Regulation has not been issued, Taflan(Met) judgement referred to the Court in order to elucidate the issue of whether this Association Council Decision is in force has failed to achieve a clarification in this regard. Although Taflan(Met) judgement provides that the aforementioned Association Council Decision took effect on the date of its adoption, it sets forth that it cannot be directly applied due to its requisite of additional measures for application.
By Sürül case which is the 2nd case referred to the Court of Justice concerning the Decision No. 3/80, preliminary ruling of the Court was requested on whether its Article 3, which provides for equality in treatment between Turkish workers and Community workers in the field of social security and which is considered not to require additional regulations due to its characteristic of a definitive and explicit provision, had direct impact. As for this case, the Court concluded with its Judgement dated 4 May 1999 that Article 3(1) of Association Council Decision No. 3/80 had direct impact in member countries.
Thus, Sürül Judgement has brought a vital initiative on the path to resolve the application issue concerning Association Council Decision No. 3/80 and intensified the pressures on member states and Community institutions for generating a solution to the issue of application concerning the aforementioned Decision.
| Ankara Agreement | Turkish | English |
| Additional Protocol | Turkish | English |
| Association Council Decision No. 1/80 | Turkish | English |
| Association Council Decision No. 3/80 | Turkish | English |
Useful Links
Ministry of EU Affairs
Department of European Union and Financial Assistance of Ministry of Labour and Social Security
Official Website of EU
Permanent Representation of Türkiye to EU
Statistical Office of EU (Eurostat)
European Council (Heads of State and Government)
European Parliament
Council of the EU (The Council of Ministers)
European Commission
Court of Justice of the European Union
European Court of Auditors
European Central Bank
European Ombudsman
United Nations
Overview
Representatives of 50 countries gathered at the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco, California from 25 April to 26 June 1945. For the next two months, they proceeded to draft and then sign the UN Charter, which created a new international organization, the United Nations, which, it was hoped, would prevent another world war like the one they had just lived through.
Four months after the San Francisco Conference ended, the United Nations officially began, on 24 October 1945, when it came into existence after its Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories.
Now, more than 75 years later, the United Nations is still working to maintain international peace and security, give humanitarian assistance to those in need, protect human rights, and uphold international law.
United Nation’s Main Objectives
The organization’s purpose and principles are outlined in the U.N. Charter. According to the document, the United Nations’ four main purposes are to:
- Maintain international peace and security;
- Develop friendly relations among nations;
- Achieve international cooperation in solving international problems; and
- Be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.
U.N. Bodies
The U.N. is divided into different bodies, including the following:
General Assembly: The General Assembly is the main policymaking body of the U.N. that votes on decisions the organization makes. All 193 members are represented in this branch.
Security Council: This 15-member council oversees measures that ensure the maintenance of international peace and security. The Security Council determines if a threat exists and encourages the parties involved to settle it peacefully.
Economic and Social Council: The Economic and Social Council makes policies and recommendations regarding economic, social and environmental issues. It consists of 54 members who are elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms.
Trusteeship Council: The Trusteeship Council, established by Article 86 of the UN Charter, is the body in charge of supervising the administration of the countries under guardianship and helping these countries to achieve autonomy or independence. Since 1994, it has not had any function in practice.
International Court of Justice: The International Court of Justice, based in The Hague, the Netherlands, is the principal judicial organ of the UN. It settles legal disputes between States and provides legal advice to the United Nations and its specialised organisations. The Court is composed of fifteen judges, who are elected by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council. Their term of office is nine years. In addition, the Court cannot have two judges from one state.
Secretariat: The Secretariat is made up of the Secretary-General and thousands of U.N. staffers. Its members carry out the daily duties of the U.N. and work on international peacekeeping missions. The Secretary-General, who is the head of the Unit, is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a term of 5 years. The person elected Secretary-General may hold this office for a maximum of two terms.
Relations with the U.N.
Türkiye is among the founding members of the UN and became a party to the UN Charter on 28 September 1945. Accordingly, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Türkiye to the UN was established. It started its activities after the Permanent Representative Ambassador H.E. Mr. Selim Sarper presented his letter of credence to the UN Secretary-General on 15 August 1947.
In recent years, Türkiye has been following the UN agenda closely and trying to be more effective as possible in the General Assembly and its subsidiaries. In doing so, Türkiye benefits from its membership in different groups as well as its membership in regional and international organizations. Thus, it strives to assume a constructive and conciliatory role on current issues. In addition, Türkiye is also interested in global issues on the UN agenda, even if they are not within the scope of its traditional foreign policy.
In this context, economic growth and development in recent years, new social support policies for African and Latin American countries, Türkiye's developing relations with countries in distant geographies before and during its membership in the UN Security Council, the process of joining the EU, G20 membership and programs to increase official development assistance to needy countries have led to an increase in Türkiye's contribution to the UN development agenda.
Türkiye was a member of the Security Council in 1951-1952, 1954-1955, 1961 and, 48 years later, in 2009-2010.
The membership process of Türkiye to the UN Security Council in the period of 2009-2010, which is the most important forum for ensuring and maintaining international peace and security, has created new and various opportunities in the international arena and the United Nations. Türkiye has always been one of the leading proponents of the principles and objectives provided for in the UN Charter and has supported the resolution of international disputes through multilateral cooperation. During the period of membership in the Security Council, Türkiye participated in the practices of the Council and contributed to the enrichment of it both in depth and in scope by making its contributions together with a wide range of issues that were already on its foreign policy agenda. Türkiye has played a constructive and balanced role in recent crises and hot conflicts in the region, from the Middle East to North Africa, from the Caucasus to the Balkans. This is evident in initiatives such as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, established in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine tension. Türkiye's representation in the UN Security Council, which has a fundamental role in ensuring global peace and security, could potentially contribute to these efforts.
In light of these considerations, Turkey has put forth a proposal to serve as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the period 2037-2038. On the other hand, the fact that the Fourth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC) was held in Istanbul on 09-13 May 2011 clearly demonstrates Türkiye's support and contributions to cooperation in international development. With this Conference, Türkiye took the responsibility of bringing LDC-related issues to the international agenda and assisting in efforts to find solutions until 2020, and in a sense, assumed the spokespersonship of LDC. The Interim Review Meeting to monitor the results of this conference was also hosted by Türkiye on 27-29 May 2016.
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which coordinates UN programs, funds, specialized agencies, and economic and social activities, consists of 54 members elected for overlapping three-year terms. Türkiye was elected to this Council for three years in 2014 and its affiliation ended as of December 2017. As a member of ECOSOC, Türkiye takes an active role in the work of determining the views and attitudes of the UN on economic and social issues, and also votes in elections held under the ECOSOC umbrella.
Another example of Türkiye's active cooperation with the international community was the "World Humanitarian Summit" held for the first time in Istanbul in 2016. The World Humanitarian Summit, which is a very valuable step towards the ideal of a peaceful, prosperous and just world, was successfully held on 23-24 May 2016 with a record participation in the history of the UN. About 9000 participants from 180 countries, 55 heads of state and government, hundreds of civil society representatives and stakeholders participated in the summit. The Istanbul Summit was a turning point in Türkiye’s quest to find more effective and permanent ways to combat natural disasters, conflicts, famine and humanitarian crises as the international community. Bringing together all the stakeholders of the global humanitarian aid system for the first time in history, the Istanbul Summit provided an opportunity for new hopes to sprout for the future as a result of the decisions taken and the solidarity exhibited.
Furthermore, Türkiye extends its humanitarian assistance not only at bilateral level but also through international organizations such as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and World Food Programme (WFP). Thus, Türkiye’s humanitarian aid contributions have gained an international dimension and its cooperation with international institutions operating in the field has been enhanced. In this regard, on 1 July 2014, Türkiye became a member of the OCHA Donor Support Group (ODSG). ODSG is a consultation mechanism aiming at shaping humanitarian policies followed by the OCHA and it brings together top OCHA donor countries.
On the other hand, Türkiye hosts the UN Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development/IICPSD in line with the strategic partnership developed between Türkiye and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). IICPSD, one of UNDP's six Global Policy Centers, was established in partnership with the Government of Türkiye in 2011. It leads UNDP's global work on the private sector and foundations and supports UNDP's offices around the world.
Another example of Türkiye's relationship with the UN is its work with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). After the UN Population Fund started its activities in 1969, it operated together with Türkiye in 1971. UNFPA is a UN primary agency working for a world without unwanted pregnancy, where every birth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The United Nations Population Fund, which began its work on a project basis, had the privilege of carrying out its first multi-annual Country Programme between 1988 and 1992. The Fund is currently implementing its 7th Country Programme (2021-2025).
In addition, the regional office responsible for Europe and Central Asia of the Regional Office for UNDP Europe and CIS and the UN WOMEN relocated in Istanbul.
As a result, Türkiye is determined to support the UN in every possible way and is willing to strive for international peace, security and stability, as well as the promotion of basic principles and values such as human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Relations between the Ministry and U.N.
Participation is provided in the work of the committee on the issues of the UN that fall within the scope of the Ministry and the opinions of Türkiye are reflected in these committees. In addition, the Ministry;
- As a member of the Social Protection Working Group of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the Ministry actively participates and contributes to the Working Group meetings.
- Contributes to the reporting and defence activities carried out by Türkiye on issues within its field of responsibility within the framework of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism affiliated to the UN Human Rights Council.
- Contributes to the preparation of the country report on the implementation of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families and participates in the defence at the UN Committee on Migrant Workers.
- Contributes to the preparation of the country report on the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and participates in the defence of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
- Contributes to the country reports submitted to the supervisory bodies (CCPR, CESCR, CEDAW, CRC) on the UN twin conventions (ICCPR and ICESCR) and conventions on the protection of women and children.
In addition, Türkiye is a member of the “Global Forum on Migration and Development”, which is the only and largest unofficial organization conducted by states outside the United Nations. With its politics-oriented and knowledge-based outputs obtained through forum activities, Türkiye becomes a reference point for both governments' policy makers and other relevant stakeholders in the fields of migration and development at national, regional and international levels. Türkiye chaired the Forum on 14-16 October 2015, and the Ministry contributes to the activities of this Forum within the scope of its duties and responsibilities.
The U.N. Basic Human Rights Conventions Ratified by Türkiye
ILO
Overview
ILO: International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that labour peace is essential to prosperity. Today, the ILO helps advance the creation of decent work and the economic and working conditions that give working people and business people a stake in lasting peace, prosperity and progress.
The ILO was created in 1919, as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I, to reflect the belief that universal and lasting peace can be accomplished only if it is based on social justice. In 1946, the ILO became a specialized agency of the United Nations. Its unique tripartite structure gives an equal voice to workers, employers and governments providing a unique platform for promoting decent work for all women and men.
The ILO has four strategic objectives
– Promote and realize standards and fundamental principles and rights at work
– Create greater opportunities for women and men to decent employment and income
– Enhance the coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all, and
– Strengthen tripartism and social dialogue
In support of its goals, the ILO offers expertise and knowledge about the world of work, acquired over more than 90 years of responding to the needs of people everywhere for decent work, livelihoods and dignity. It serves its tripartite constituents -and society as a whole- in a variety of ways, including:
– Formulation of international policies and programmes to promote basic human rights, improve working and living conditions, and enhance employment opportunities
– Creation of international labour standards backed by a unique system to supervise their application
– An extensive programme of international technical cooperation formulated and implemented in an active partnership with constituents, to help countries put these policies into practice in an effective manner
– Training, education and research activities to help advance all of these efforts.
Relations with ILO
Relations with ILO
Türkiye’s relations with the ILO date back to the year of 1927. Due to the fact that Türkiye was not a member of the League of Nations then, it participated in the work of the ILO with observer status. When Türkiye became a member of the League of Nations in 1932, it also became a member of the ILO.
Türkiye was represented and participated in the work of the ILO Governing Body as a "Titular Member" in the periods 1948-51, 1954-57 and 1996-99, 2014-17, and as a "Deputy Member" in the periods 1975-78, 1987-90 and 2002-05. Türkiye was re-elected to the ILO Governing Body as a deputy member for the 2017-2020 period.
Türkiye has ratified and incorporated into its national legislation 59 international labour conventions, including ten fundamental conventions. Currently, 52 of these agreements are in force.
Relations between the Ministry and ILO
The Ministry periodically submits national reports to ILO in order to monitor the implementation of each ratified convention. Taking into consideration the possibility that Türkiye might be included in the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards with regard to any of these agreements, preparations are also made by the Ministry before the conference. The government's opinion on complaints made to the ILO against Türkiye is also prepared by the General Directorate of Foreign Relations.
Sub-Regional Conference of South-East European Countries on "Employment Strategies in the Face of Globalization" hosted by Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the International Labour Organization was held in Istanbul between 11 and 12 September 2006 and the Istanbul Declaration was accepted as a result of the conference.
The 10th European Regional Meeting of the ILO was hosted by Türkiye between 2-5 October 2017 in Istanbul. At the end of the meeting, "The Istanbul Initiative for the Centenary: Future for Decent Work for Strong and Responsible Social Partnership in Europe and Central Asia" was adopted.
Useful Links
ILO Conventions Ratified by Türkiye
Since the establishment of the ILO, it has adopted a total of 191 Conventions, 6 Protocols and 208 Recommendations. Türkiye has ratified and transposed 59 Conventions, 10 of which are on fundamental rights at work, into Turkish Law. Listed hereinbelow, 52 of these conventions are currently in place.
Council of Europe
Overview
The Council of Europe (CoE) was established after the Second World War to achieve a greater unity and collaboration in Europe on the basis of common European values, standards and institutions.
The Council was created in 1948 with two statutory bodies; the Committee of Ministers representing the governments and the Council of Europe (then) Consultative Assembly representing the parliaments.
The London Agreement that established the Council was signed on 5 May 1949 by 10 European countries. The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) which forms the backbone of the Council of Europe was signed on 4 November 1950 in Rome. Türkiye is among the first signatories of the ECHR.
The Council of Europe focuses on creating, codifying and monitoring the standards in member states and streamlining political cooperation among them. In addition to its intergovernmental, parliamentary and local dimensions, the Council also contains a system of more than 225 conventions and protocols. The Organization has several monitoring mechanisms including the European Court of Human Rights to which all member states have accepted the right to individual application.
The democratization process that took place at the end of the Cold War highlighted the political and legal effectiveness of the Council. With the membership of the countries in transition in Central and Eastern Europe, the Organization expanded rapidly. From 2000s, influenced in part, by globalization, the need to reform has arisen within the CoE, which could more effectively address the recent challenges. The reform process aims at increasing the benefits of the work and contributions of the Council of Europe as well as strengthening its political role and visibility both at regional and international levels for 830 million Europeans in 46 member states. The Council has also initiated a number of activities for North Africa and the Middle East to share its experiences on human rights, democratization and the rule of law norms and standards.
Relations with the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe embodies Türkiye’s first institutional tie with Europe after the Second World War. Türkiye was invited to the organization as a founding member in August 1949.
CoE Conventions and international activities that have utmost importance for Türkiye are listed hereinbelow:
The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR):
Drafted by the Council of Europe, the ECHR was signed by 15 countries, including Türkiye, on 4 November 1950 and entered into force on 3 September 1953. The Convention aims at ensuring that fundamental human rights and freedoms are guaranteed. Türkiye accepted the right to individual application to the ECtHR based on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in 1987 and recognized the compulsory jurisdiction of the ECtHR in 1990.
European Social Charter and Revised Charter
The European Social Charter (ECC) is a fundamental human rights instrument that aims to guarantee human rights, particularly in economic and social fields, in order to bring full functionality to democratic systems. The European Social Charter was opened for signature on 18 October 1961 and entered into force on 26 February 1965. Türkiye signed the Charter on 18 October 1961; ratified it on 24 November 1989. Thus, it entered into force in Türkiye on 24 December 1989.
The European Social Charter constitutes one of the two most important basic instruments adopted by the Council of Europe in the field of human rights. The first is 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which regulates civil and political rights. The second is the European Social Charter, which covers provisions on fundamental human rights in the fields of working life, social security-social welfare, health care and other related fields.
In line with the decision taken at the European Ministerial Conference on Human Rights held in Rome on 5 November 1990; in order to maintain the integrity of human rights in terms of personal, political, economic, social and cultural contexts and to strengthen the European Social Charter; the current version of the Charter was updated to cover the social changes that occurred after its adoption. Consequently, a new text containing the rights in the annexed protocol of 1988 and some new rights was prepared. The Revised European Social Charter, which replaced the 1961 European Social Charter, was opened for signature on 3 May 1996 and entered into force on 1 July 1999.
Along with the rights guaranteed by the 1961 Charter, the Revised European Social Charter includes the 4 rights contained in the 1988 Additional Protocol (Articles 20 – 23) and introduces 8 new rights (Articles 24 – 31).
The Revised European Social Charter (RESC) consists of a total of 98 paragraphs and 31 articles, 9 (1, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 16, 19 and 20) of which are “core provisions”. Compared to the 1961 Social Charter, The RESC covers an additional two core provisions (Articles 7 and 20).
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Articles of the Revised European Social Charter 1 - The right to work 2 – The right to just conditions of work 3 – The right to safe and healthy working conditions 4 – The right to a fair remuneration 5 – The right to organise 6 – The right to bargain collectively 7 – The right of children and young persons to protection 8 – The right of employed women to protection of maternity 9 – The right to vocational guidance 10 – The right to vocational training 11 – The right to protection of health 12 – The right to social security 13 – The right to social and medical assistance 14 – The right to benefit from social welfare services 15 – The right of persons with disabilities to independence, social integration and participation in the life of the community 16 – The right of the family to social, legal and economic protection 17 – The right of children and young persons to social, legal and economic protection 18 – The right to engage in a gainful occupation in the territory of other Parties 19 – The right of migrant workers and their families to protection and assistance 20 - The right to equal opportunities and equal treatment in matters of employment and occupation without discrimination on the grounds of sex 21 - The right to information and consultation 22 - The right to take part in the determination and improvement of the working conditions and working environment 23 - The right of elderly persons to social protection 24 - The right to protection in cases of termination of employment 25 - The right of workers to the protection of their claims in the event of the insolvency of their employer 26 - The right to dignity at work 27 - The right of workers with family responsibilities to equal opportunities and equal treatment 28 - The right of workers' representatives to protection in the undertaking and facilities to be accorded to them 29 - The right to information and consultation in collective redundancy procedures 30 - The right to protection against poverty and social exclusion 31 - The right to housing |
(Note: Articles written in bold are core provisions)
Türkiye signed The Revised European Social Charter on 6 October 2004 and ratified it on 27 June 2007. It entered into force in Türkiye by 1 August 2007.
Within the framework of the implementation monitoring system stipulated by the European Social Charter, the Ministry prepares reports on the national implementation of the relevant articles and paragraphs of the Charter and submits them to the Council of Europe. In the Committee of Governmental Experts, which meets twice a year, all member states make oral defences, if necessary, on the basis of the assessments published by the European Committee of Social Rights as a result of its examination of national reports.
European Code of Social Security
“European Social Security Code" of 1964, aimed at bringing the social security systems to the optimal level in all member states of Council of Europe, and determining the norms for social security coverage in areas such as medical assistance, sickness benefits, unemployment benefits, old-age benefits and maternity benefits, as well as the minimum levels of social protection that must be provided by member states.
The European Code of Social Security was signed by Türkiye on 13 May 1964. With Law No. 2170 of 21 September 1978, relevant parts of the Code was approved, excluding the seventh part on Family Benefits and the fourth part on Unemployment Benefits. Thus, the Code entered into force in Türkiye on 8 March 1981.
In accordance with the European Code of Social Security, various implementation reports are prepared annually and submitted to the Council of Europe.
The Mutual Information System on Social Protection of the Council of Europe (MISSCEO)
MISSCEO started its work in 1999 and it aims to promote a regular exchange of information on social protection in 12 member states of the Council of Europe that are not members of the EU's MISSOC network. Within the scope of social protection systems, the Ministry prepares comparative data tables for MISSOC.
Relations between the Ministry and CoE
The Ministry prepares periodic reports to monitor the implementation of the Revised European Social Charter and the European Code of Social Security, makes presentations of the submitted national reports, carries out the ratification process of the CoE conventions that are deemed appropriate for ratification, and it represents Türkiye in relevant Committees and contributes to the work of the CoE.
OECD
Overview
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organization that works to build better policies for better lives. The organization aims to shape policies that foster prosperity, equality, opportunity and well-being for all with its 60 years of experience and insights. Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, the OECD works on establishing evidence-based international standards and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. Currently, the organization has 38 members.
The forerunner of the OECD was the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC), which was formed to administer American and Canadian aid under the Marshall Plan for the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. The Convention transforming the OEEC into the OECD was signed at the Chateau de la Muette in Paris on 14 December 1960 and entered into force on 30 September 1961.
The OECD Council is the organisation’s overarching decision-making body. It is composed of ambassadors from Member countries and the European Commission, and is chaired by the Secretary-General. It meets regularly to discuss key work of the Organisation, share concerns and take decisions by consensus. Once a year, the OECD Council meets for the Ministerial Council Meeting, which brings together heads of government, economy, trade and foreign ministers from Member countries to monitor and set priorities for OECD’s work, discuss the global economic and trade context, and delve further into issues such as the budget or the accession process. The OECD works through more than 300 committees, expert and working groups which cover almost all areas of policy making. The work of the OECD is carried out by the Secretariat. It is led by the Secretary-General and composed of directorates and divisions that work with policy makers and shapers in each country, providing insights and expertise to help guide policy making based on evidence in close coordination with committees. Mathias Cormann, who was appointed for a five-year term on 1 June 2021, is the current Secretary-General.
The OECD regularly reviews its tools, policy analysis and standards to ensure that they are fit for purpose and maintain their relevance and impact. By convening countries and experts, stimulating technical dialogue, and sharing expertise on social, economic and environmental issues, the organization helps identify innovative and effective policy solutions. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, OECD provides a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.
Relations with OECD
As one of the twenty founding members of OECD, our country actively takes part in and contributes to the activities of the organization with its permanent delegation to the OECD both before 1961 and from this date onwards. Apart from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, positions belonging to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Finance, Undersecretariat of Treasury and Central Bank of Republic of Türkiye are embodied within the structure of our Permanent Representation to the OECD.
Relations between the Ministry and OECD
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security is in charge of the coordination of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Committee (ELSA), which is one of the expert committees within the structure of OECD, at national level. The Committee leads OECD’s work on social policies such as monitoring and reviewing labour market policies, setting new trends in social and healthcare policies and impacts of international migration on labour market and performs activities in these fields. There exists three working groups and a programme affiliated to the Committee. These working parties of OECD are the Working Group on Migration, Working Group on Employment and Working Group on Social Policy. The Ministry and its affiliated organizations attend meetings of ELSA; and works on the reporting required as well as questionnaire form filling are carried out under the coordination of the Directorate General of Foreign Relations and European Union.
The Ministry is also among the related institutions in “Task Force on Boosting Local Economy and Increasing Employment” under the responsibility of SMEs Development Organization KOSGEB and “Education Policies Committee” under the responsibility of the Ministry of National Education.
Closely monitoring the works performed by OECD in the fields falling within its sphere of activity, the Ministry participates in the meetings of the organization; information, documents and views requested with regard to the legislation and practices of our country along with other relevant issues are prepared and submitted to OECD.
Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Committee (ELSA)
Aging population and workforce, the increase in unemployment and growing impacts of migration caused by poverty on the economies of countries are the main working fields of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Committee. The Committee makes policy proposals to member countries through its activities on employment, social integration, migration, health and establishes a forum for sharing information, views and experiences by bringing together business world, representatives of civil society and academics.
The Committee conducts its activities on issues such as increasing employment rates and productivity in member states, modernization of social security schemes with the aim of resolving the problems posed by aging population, improving qualifications of employees, management of international migration in line with interests of both sending and receiving countries, establishment of high-performance healthcare systems, integrating underrepresented populations in labour market such as women, migrants and “underqualified workers” into working life and enhancing capacities of employees.
Furthermore, the Committee monitors international migration tendencies, evaluates possible ways of international migration management and develops policy proposals by elaborating on issues such as social and economic impacts of migration.
The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies
The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), jointly conducted by the OECD Education Directorate and the Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Directorate, is a research programme aimed at achieving a more qualified workforce and overcoming the difficulties encountered in this direction. The programme aims to analyse the current situation in countries and draw the needed policy framework.
The Ministry participated in the second round of PIAAC covering the years 2012-2016. In this context, the status of adult competences in Türkiye was analysed and the relevant results were evaluated in policy development processes.
More information and reports about the programme are available at:
G20
Overview
G20 is a strategic multilateral platform for international economic cooperation, connecting the world’s major developed and emerging economies. Representing more than 80 percent of world GDP, 75 percent of international trade and 60 percent of the world population, G20 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. During the 2023 Indian Presidency, it was decided that the African Union would also become a member of the G20. Each year, the Presidency invites guest countries, which take full part in the G20 exercise. Several international and regional organizations also participate, granting the forum an even broader representation.
Born out of the necessity to develop joint responses against challenges brought by economic crises of 1997 and 1998, G20 was formed in 1999 as a platform for finance ministers and central bank governors with the aim of discussing policies in order to achieve international financial stability. On the advice of the G7 Finance Ministers, the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors began holding meetings to discuss the response to the global financial crisis that occurred. After that, the Minister of Finance level meeting is held regularly in the fall. Nine years later, on November 14-15 2008, the leaders of the G20 countries gathered for the first G20 Summit. On that occasion, the country’s leaders coordinated the global response to the impact of the financial crisis that occurred in the US at that time and agreed to hold a follow-up meeting, thus the forum evolved into a yearly summit involving Heads of State and Government. To prepare for the annual summit, the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, together with Sherpas (in charge of carrying out negotiations and building consensus among Leaders) meet several times a year.
G20 has no permanent secretariat. Agenda and the work coordination is completed by G20 leaders’ personal representatives, known as sherpas together with finance ministers and central bank governors. As for presidency, it rotates every year among its members, with the country that holds the presidency working together with its predecessor and successor, also known as Troika, to ensure the continuity of the agenda. Currently Italy, Indonesia, and India are the Troika countries, with Indonesia holding the presidency until 1 December 2022, which will be taken over by India until 30 November 2023.
G20 holds a premier role in securing future global economic growth along with prosperity and developing comprehensive responses to several challenges the world economy has faced. The forum’s core agenda is to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced global growth and to create quality jobs. To this end, G20 has taken up not only financial issues but also development, energy, employment, anticorruption and trade in order to assist reform of the global financial architecture and economic structure. The pinnacle of the G20 work is a communiqué expressing members’ commitments and vision for the future, drafted from the chosen recommendations and deliverables from ministerial meetings and other work streams.
G20 STRUCTURE
G20 activities are carried out through two main channels. The first channel is the ‘Finance Channel’, which is composed of the Ministers and Undersecretaries in charge of Finance of the countries and the Governors and Deputy Governors of the Central Banks. In the finance channel, issues such as global economy, infrastructure investments, financial regulations, international financial architecture, international taxation and climate change financing are discussed.
The second channel is the ‘Sherpa Channel’. The activities in the Sherpa channel are initially initiated as a ‘Task Force’ specific to the relevant issue and in a temporary nature (specific to the Presidency), and in the following process, if the relevant issue is continuous, it becomes permanent as a ‘Working Group’ with the decision of the G20 Leaders and continues its activities every year.
During the 2024 G20 Brazil Presidency, 15 Working Groups were active on agriculture, anti-corruption, culture, disaster risk reduction, development, digital economy, education, employment, energy transition, environment and climate sustainability, health, tourism, trade and investments, research and innovation and women's empowerment. The Ministry is responsible for the national coordination of the G20's work in the employment channel.
On the other hand, two Task Forces, namely the Global Mobilisation Against Climate Change and the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, and the Bioeconomy Initiative also carried out activities at the G20 level in 2024.
International institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank Group, the OECD, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United Nations, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) also provide technical assistance.
In addition to member countries, a certain number of other countries are invited to the meetings as observers each year by the country holding the presidency. However, Spain and, especially in recent years, the Netherlands, have almost permanent guest country status in terms of G20 activities and regularly participate in G20 activities.
In order to ensure that the contributions and views of civil society are also taken into account, various interaction groups have been established in relation to the G20. In this context, private sector representatives of member countries (B20), trade unions (L20), think tanks (T20), civil society organisations (C20), youth organisations (Y20), women's groups (W20), city diplomacy initiative (U20), constitutional judicial bodies initiative (J20), parliamentary co-operation (P20), new businesses (STARTUP20), supreme audit institutions (SAI20), oceans-related issues (O20) and academia (S20) also provide intellectual support to G20 processes and participate in some official meetings.
Relations with G20
G20 Employment Channel - Brief History
Due to the permanent effects of the global financial crisis on employment and the positive contribution of employment to the economy, it was decided at the Pittsburgh Leaders' Summit held in the USA in 2009 that the Ministers of Labour would meet regularly and present their work to the Leaders.
The Ministers of Labour and Employment of the G20 countries met for the first time in 2010 in Washington, hosted by the USA. The Employment Task Force, which works and discusses the issues to be discussed at the G20 Labour Ministers‘ meetings at the technical level, was established as a result of the decision taken at the Leaders’ Summit held in Cannes in 2011. This group was first tasked to work on youth employment, then its mandate was extended every year and it was assigned to carry out technical studies on different issues in the field of working life and employment with the support of international organisations.
At the 2014 Brisbane Leaders' Summit organised under the Australian Presidency, it was decided to transform the Employment Task Force into a permanent Working Group. The procedures and principles regarding the work of this group were prepared by the Ministry and after the acceptance of the members, it started its work for the first time during the G20 Presidency of Türkiye.
Ministry’s Relations with G20
Türkiye attaches great importance to the G20 platform, which brings together the largest developed and developing countries, and actively contributes to the work of the G20.
During the G20 Presidency, which Türkiye assumed on 1 December 2014, many innovations were introduced and Türkiye successfully completed its Presidency with the Leaders' Summit held in Antalya on 15-16 November 2015. For the first time, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) occupied an important place in Türkiye's inclusive G20 agenda. Türkiye included the Women's 20 (W20) as the 6th of the 5 initiative groups operating at the G20 level until 2015, and set a quantitative target to bring young people, who are at high risk of being excluded from the labour market, into employment. Within the scope of this commitment, known as the G20 Antalya (Youth) Goal, G20 Leaders set a concrete target of reducing the rate of young people at risk of permanent exclusion from the labour market by 15 per cent by 2025. In addition, the activities carried out as a ‘Task Force’ in the employment channel of the G20 during our Presidency in 2015 were made permanent under the name of ‘G20 Employment Working Group’ and the terms of reference of the said Working Group were also established during our Presidency. In 2015, within the scope of the activities in the employment channel led by our Ministry, the issue of wage inequalities was brought to the agenda for the first time and policy priorities to be followed in order to combat inequalities were determined. Again, in the area of ‘Implementation’, which is one of the priorities of our Presidency, Türkiye attached importance to the implementation of the commitments made and strategies adopted, and pioneered the establishment of monitoring mechanisms in this direction. In the field of occupational health and safety, the G20 Occupational Health and Safety Experts Network (G20 OSH Network), which was established with the initiative of our Ministry during our Presidency, is still active today. This Network, co-chaired by Türkiye and the USA, contributes to strengthening international co-operation under the Employment Working Group.
The Ministry is responsible for the national coordination of the G20 Employment Working Group and continues to actively participate in the G20 Employment Working Group meetings at the technical level and the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers' Meetings at the Ministerial level.