Maritime transport in Türkiye in the scope of the European Union's common transport policy

European Union (EU) aims to ensure the free movement of goods, services, capital, and persons in an area of security, justice, and freedom. Transportation, a service sector, is directly connected to the economy, development, and international trade, which makes the liberalization of transportation and provision of a common transport policy in the EU important. Provisions of a common transport policy were initially included in the Treaty Establishing European Economic Community of 1957. However, the advancement in the common transport policy was slow. The failure to achieve efficient institutionalization and the difficulties in approaching the national transport policies of the EU member states to the common transport policy until the 1980s were among the obstacles in this policy area. In the 1980s, the action plans of the common transport policies were adopted, and in the 1990s, provisions were included in the Founding Treaties, forming the infrastructure of the common transport policy. In the 2000s, the focus was to provide the necessary financial support and sustainability in transportation for the common transport policy, whose framework and objectives were specified. In this period, in addition to sustainability, ensuring a balance between transportation modes entered into the agenda of the common transport policy. The reduction of the damage caused by transportation to the environment, green transformation, and digitalization have been among the priorities of the EU in this policy field. Maritime transport, one of the sub-sectors of the EU's common transport policy, has a privileged position since 90% of the Union's foreign trade is carried out by sea. EU maritime transport policy, signifying EU standards in maritime, comprises a set of objectives that aims to prevent non-standard transport, achieve sustainable maritime safety and security, promote green transformation, and establish digitalization at sea. The EU, which produces policies on the social dimension of maritime as well as ensuring safety and security, also considers the issues, including protecting the sector's employees against international competition, improving working conditions at sea, and training qualified ship personnel. In this context, the EU regards each chain of maritime policies as an inseparable whole. Türkiye's maritime transport policies lagged behind road transport in the 1950s. The Development Plan of 1962, with particular attention to the maritime, underlined the development of maritime trade fleets and the necessity of investing in ports. It also stated to prioritize personnel training on infrastructure and management with the purpose of configuring the services for the maritime sector pursuant to needs. In 1999, Türkiye acquired the candidate state statutes to the membership of the EU. Thus, taking steps to approach the national policies to EU standards, Türkiye has also aimed to harmonize its transport policy with the common transport policy of the EU. Türkiye, which prepared National Action Plans on harmonization, has considered the technical advancement in the maritime field and diminishment of the environmental impacts of maritime and produced new policies. It has been emphasized in the EU country reports that Türkiye has made good preparations for harmonization with the EU acquis regarding maritime transport since 2019. This study deals with Türkiye's harmonization process with the EU's maritime policies in the context of the EU's common transport and maritime transport policies and Türkiye's maritime transport policies, drawing on national/international scientific studies on the specified policies and decisions adopted and studies published by the relevant organs of the EU and Türkiye. It is observed that Türkiye has achieved significant progress in its harmonization with EU maritime policies, upgraded from the black list to the white list, especially regarding port state controls, established legal arrangements regarding the harmonization of the national acquis with the EU acquis, accomplished particular improvements in adoption of actions plans in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal. However, it is determined that Türkiye has some shortcomings in acceding to international agreements and use of smart systems at sea and especially in ports. Despite the fact that Chapter 14 on Transport is closed and Türkiye and the EU have opposing arguments regarding its opening, Türkiye continues its efforts to reach EU standards in maritime and harmonize its national law with the EU's acquis. Keywords: European Union, Common Transport Policies, Maritime Transport, Türkiye, Transport.