The competitiveness and developing possibilities of Turkish textile and clothing industry during integration with European Union

Textile and Clothing Industry which is the main contributor to thesuccess in export-based developing like in most of other developing countries,raises about thirty per cent of Turkey?s total export by itself and contributesmore than ten per cent to the total employment. Industry is in the key positionin Turkey-EU trade relations and provides the biggest part of Turkey?smanufactured product?s export to EU by itself. In this view the importance ofTextile and Clothing Industry for Turkish economy and for the commercialrelations with EU is so much.In this study the global competitiveness of Turkish Textile and Clothingindustry, against EU?s Textile and Clothing industry is analysed by Balassa andVollrath?s Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) approach. The output ofthis study reveals that textile sector, one of which competitiveness is consideredas high, has revealed comparative disadvantages (RCD) against EU in twogroups of three-digit SITC [654 (Woven Textile Fabric n.e.s.), 657 (SpecialYarns/Fabrics)] and most of four-digit product groups according to Vollrath?stwo RCA indices. On the other side clothing sector?s competitiveness is highagainst EU however, by the time (especially after Customs Union) decreasingRCA indices are found out. To maintain the competitiveness in EU market, anew structure should be established, which is based upon trend, trademarks,new products and research and development. High quality and high value-added products should be produced in the near future.Key Words: 1) Textile and Clothing, 2) Turkey and European Union (EU),3) International Competitiveness, 4) Revealed Comparative Advantage,5) Integration