Turkish seaborn trade in the process to the integration to the European Union

Ill SUMMARY The object of this thesis in general meaning is to determine the framework of the Turkish seaborn fereign trade policy and to emphasize its importance particularly in the process to the integration to the European Union. Mainly there are three objectives to be considered. First a detailed study of relevant Turkish seabron trade policy has been determined and the concrete and concise information about the existing situation has been clarified. The potential impact of state aid on Turkish maritime sector has been assessed. Second; recent trends in EU member states to determine the seaborn trade applications has been searched and the effectiveness of EU rules on state aid has been analysed. Third; the arrangements which should be realised to achieve competitiveness during the process to the integration has been determined. Our study comprises three main chapters. First chapter includes the importance of the maritime sector by the foreign trade and the domination of seaborn trade among the transportation systems. This chapter also includes the enterprises of merchant shipping, foreign trade cargoes and the mainly sea trade terms. The maritime policies of the international organizations are also mentioned such as UN, OECD and GATT. The second chapter; focuses on seaborn foreign trade and policy of EU by classifying economic, administrative and legal regulations, and a detailed study of relevant EU policies on maritime sector. It evaluates the impact of EU rules on state aid. In the second chapter, EU merchand shipping fleet and applications of flag of convenience and second registery has been olso investigated. The third chapter; deals with the Turkish seaborn foreign trade, through the same mentioned framework. The economical development of the seaborn trade has been studied, and the existing situation has been evaluated by the effects of the state aid. This chapter also includes TurkishIV merchant shipping fleet and tradable goods and exporting and importing countries and economical groups. After examining the Turkish and EU shipping sectors through this framework which were underlined in second and third chapters, finally Turkish seaborn trade policy has been determined in order to adopt EU competition policy and applications, during the process of the integration to the European Union.