Regional trade agreements in Turkish foreign policy: a rising trading state’s quest for trade sovereignty

Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) are essential for advancing trade, political ties, and stability in both advanced and emerging economies. Over the past two decades, Turkey, under the Justice and Development Party, has utilized RTAs to enhance its global stature as a rising trading state. Until the late 2000s, the Customs Union (CU) with the EU constrained Turkey's trade policy autonomy by aligning its RTAs with EU interests. Since the 2010s, however, Turkey has pursued a proactive and independent RTA agenda, disregarding and breaching CU commitments, thereby positioning itself as a leading RTA user in the Global South.