The key facts

  • Seven ministers of the two countries met at Egmont Palace in Brussels after a 10-year pause in dialogue.
  • A bilateral action plan on police cooperation is expected to be signed.
  • Migration, judicial cooperation and deepening ties in industry, defence, energy and trade were also discussed.

Resumption of dialogue in Brussels

On Tuesday, talks between seven ministers of Belgium and Turkey were held at Egmont Palace in Brussels, aimed at resuming high-level dialogue after a decade-long pause. The Belgian delegation was represented by Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot, Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden, Minister of Security and the Interior Bernard Quintin, and Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt. Turkey was represented by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç (Akin Gürlek) and Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi. The main topics were security, justice and migration.

Turkey as a strategic partner

The Belgian Foreign Ministry characterized Turkey as a strategically important partner for Europe, noting its NATO membership and diplomatic influence in regions significant for European security. The ministry pointed to Ankara's key role in Black Sea security and its contacts simultaneously with Kyiv and Moscow, as well as diplomatic activity in the Middle East — on Gaza and Syria — and in Africa, including the Horn of Africa. Maxime Prévot stated: 'One cannot seriously discuss European security without engaging with Turkey. It is an important NATO ally, but also a diplomatic player with contacts and influence in regions vital to our security.' According to him, 'from efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine to stability in the Middle East, the Black Sea and the Horn of Africa, Turkey can contribute to advancing diplomatic solutions.'

Security and police cooperation

The fight against terrorism and organized crime was at the centre of the agenda, according to a statement by the Belgian Foreign Ministry. Following the meeting, a bilateral action plan on police cooperation is expected to be signed, aimed at speeding up information exchange, sharing experience and joint training, primarily in combating organized crime and international criminal networks. Bernard Quintin noted that closer coordination between police services is necessary because criminal networks increasingly operate across borders, and that the agreement will help fight crime more effectively and protect citizens. The deepening of judicial cooperation while upholding the rule of law and fundamental legal guarantees was also discussed.

Migration and economy

Migration and consular issues were a separate topic: the ministers sought ways to strengthen interaction between the agencies of the two countries. Van Bossuyt called Turkey an 'important partner' for Belgium and the EU, emphasizing that effective migration management requires cooperation beyond the bloc's external borders. In addition, Belgium sees opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation in industry, defence, energy, innovation and trade.