It seems that the export volume of Turkey has caught up with its previous level. The export volume displayed a further increase of 7.3 percent in the first half of the year 2014. The positive momentum in the commerce with the European Union Countries feeds the hopes of the exporters to achieve their year-end targets. T he 2013 export volume remained almost the same in comparison to the previous year increasing to $ 151 billion 707 million from $ 151 billion 695 million displaying an increase of 0.01 percent. According to the data released by Turkish Exporters’ Assembly, in 2013 the export volume of the agricultural sector reached $ 21 billion 353 million displaying an increase of 11.6 percent, while the exports of industrial products ended the year at $ 119 billion 48 million level with an increase of 4.2 percent and the exports in the mining sector reached $ 5 billion 42 million level displaying an increase of 20.6 percent. On the other hand, in the 10 months excluding the months of June and August the export volume has broken the record of the republican period. However, the total volume of exports was almost the same in comparison to the previous year in spite of all these achievements due to the 55.8 percent decrease experienced in “The Exports Exempt Of Registration with Exporters’ union”. $ 14.1 billion Exports Exempt of Registration With Exporters’ Union in the year 2012 retreated to $ 6.3 million in the year 2013. The main reason behind this decrease was the export volume in gold that was in an amount of $ 12.7 billion in the year 2012 in comparison to its level of $ 3.3 billion in the year 2013. In 2013, automotive sector has been the leading force in exports. The export volume of the sector displayed an increase of 11.8 percent by the end of the year at $ 21.3 billion level. Chemical substances sector and readymade clothing sector followed in the second and third positions with both yielding $ 17.4 billion in exports. Germany, Iraq and the United Kingdom were respectively the countries to which the highest volume of exports was directed to. The exports to Germany displayed an increase of 3 percent in comparison to 2012 ending the year at $ 13.3 billion. On the other hand the export volume to Iraq reached $ 11.8 billion level displaying an increase of 10 percent. The exports to the United Kingdom were realized at $ 8.5 billion with an increase of 8 percent. These three countries were followed by Russia, Italy, France, USA, Spain, China and the Netherlands respectively. Guinea, Syria, Gabon, Benin and Malaysia occupied the top positions among the countries with the highest increases in the volume of exports at 137%, 82%, 79%, 67% and 66% respectively in 2013. When we look at the picture on the basis of the regions, it can be seen that the European Union (EU) was the region in which the highest volume of exports was realized. The exports of Turkey to the EU increased to $ 61.9 billion displaying an increase of 7 percent. On the other hand, exports to the Middle East increased by 2 percent to $ 27.5 billion. In 2013, the export volume to CIS countries increased by 11 percent to $ 18.2 billion and to Africa by 5 percent to $ 14 billion. EXPORTS INCREASED BY 7.3 PERCENT IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2014 Compared to the same period in the last year, the export volume in January-June period of 2014 displayed an increase of 7.3 percent reaching $ 79.9 billion level. In the first 6 months of 2014, the export volume of the agricultural sector reached $ 10.9 billion displaying an increase of 7.9 percent, while the exports of industrial products increased by 7.1 percent to $ 62 billion 763 million level as the exports in the mining sector retreated by 5.3 percent to $ 2 billion 372 million level. In the first 6 months of 2014, the 5 countries with the highest volume of realized exports were Germany, Iraq, The United Kingdom, Italy and France respectively. However, in the month of June, Iraq skipped a level to end in 3rd position. In June, export volume to Germany displayed an increase of 10 percent, while the increase in exports to the United Kingdom was 22 percent, France 12 percent and Italy 18 percent. The exports to Iraq displayed a decrease of 21 percent. TIM President Mehmet Büyükekşi stated that the reason behind the 21 percent decrease in exports to Iraq was the events that started in the aftermath of Mosul being seized by ISIS and that the increase in the exports would have been 2.5 points higher if not for the effects of the Iraq skirmishes. The developments that took place in Iraq raised concerns especially, in the steel sector, with the highest volume of exports to this country. As the Turkish Construction companies active in the region suspended their operations to a great extent, the exports of the iron-steel sector to Iraq decreased by 8 percent in the last 2 months. The secretary General to the Turkish Steel Producers’ Association (TÇÜD), Dr. Veysel Yayan, drew attention to the 5.5 percent decrease in the export volume of the sector and indicated that it would not be surprising if exports to Iraq decreased by 80 percent in July in comparison to the same period last year. THE TIGHTNESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WILL BE COMPENSATED THROUGH EU Mehmet Büyükekşi stated that they will be compensating the losses experienced in Iraq, especially where the steel sector is concerned, through higher performances in new alternative markets and continued as follows, “In the same manner that we overcame the effects of the crisis in the European markets in 2009 through our efforts in the Middle East, we will weather the current tightness experienced in the Middle East through the markets in the European Union that have been rallying up’’. On the other hand, Sabri Ünlütürk, Coordinator President of Aegean Exporters’ Union, explained how they expect an increase in imports in the European Union as the European Central Bank loosens its monetary policy leading to a fiscal expansion that would result in an economic growth and increase in domestic demand in the EU. He expressed their expectations for a more successful second half in 2014. Ünlütürk added: “We have caught a new wave in Europe. Thanks to this new wave, we expect to achieve our targets for 2014 quite easily.” The numbers are such that, in a manner, they confirm the remarks made by Büyükekşi and Ünlütürk. In the first 6 months of the year our export volume to EU countries increased by 14.1 percent to $ 34 billion 432 million in comparison to the same period in 2013. The share of the EU in our total exports was 46.4 percent as of the month of June. In June 2013 this rate was 43.2 percent. In the review of the first 6 months, a similar picture has been revealed. The share of the EU in the total of exports of our country in the first 6 months of 2013 was 42.3 percent in comparison to the first 6 months of this year showing an increase to 45.3 percent level. The players in the automotive sector that displayed a positive performance in the first half of the year in spite of the negative developments taking place in the Middle East are quite happy with the developments in the EU markets. The export volume of the automotive sector increased by 11.1% to $ 11 billion 717 million in the first half of the year with an increase of 12.8 percent in exports to $ 2 billion 31 million 817 thousand in the month of June. In the first half of the year, the highest volume of exports of the Turkish automotive sector was realized in the German markets at $ 1 billion 928 million. The UK followed Germany at $ 1 billion 254 million, France at $ 1 billion 282 million, Italy at $ 957 million, Belgium at $ 571 million and Spain at $ 498 million.