Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné has told the European Parliament that the Commission's proposed Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) does not amend the EU-Turkey customs union, nor does it grant Turkish products de facto EU origin status. In a written answer to a question from Greek MEP Nikolas Farantouris (The Left), Séjourné sought to allay concerns that the regulation would tacitly upgrade the 1995 customs union and create unfair competition for European industry.
The answer, published on 24 April 2026, responds to Farantouris's question of 5 March 2026, which cited Turkish press reports that Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat had claimed the IAA effectively recognises the customs union in a way that extends EU origin status to Turkish-made products. Farantouris warned that Turkish industry operates in a different regulatory environment, risking distortions of competition, circumvention of production rules, and transfer of industrial activity outside the EU.
Séjourné clarified that the IAA establishes internal rules for public procurement and public support schemes within the EU. Article 7 defines 'Union origin' according to non-preferential rules of origin under the Union Customs Code. Articles 8, 9 and 10 provide that content originating in countries with which the EU has a customs union agreement, such as Turkey, is deemed equivalent to Union origin for the purposes of applying Union-origin requirements. However, this equivalence applies by default and in compliance with the EU's international commitments.
The Commission also retains the power to adopt delegated acts to exclude a third country from this equivalence, based on criteria such as lack of reciprocity or avoidance of dependencies. Additionally, EU contracting authorities must exclude from procurement tenders submitted by economic operators owned or controlled by entities from third countries that have not concluded an international agreement guaranteeing such access.
Séjourné emphasised that the proposal strengthens the resilience and competitiveness of European industrial value chains while remaining consistent with the EU's international obligations. The Commission will continue to ensure healthy and fair competition within the framework of the EU's strategic autonomy, relying on the full range of instruments in the EU toolbox where necessary.
The answer contains no concrete proposals beyond the existing IAA text, and offers only declarative support for fair competition and strategic autonomy. The Commission has not indicated any specific timeline for follow-up measures, but the delegated act mechanism provides a potential avenue for future adjustments.
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