The Turkey-US Economic Partnership Commission (EPC) meets on March 3, 2011 in Washington, D.C. Assistant Secretary for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs Jose W. Fernandez heads the U.S. delegation, while Deputy Undersecretary for Bilateral Affairs and Public Diplomacy Selim Yenel leads the Turkish delegation. United States participation includes the Departments of State, Commerce, Treasury, Agriculture, and Energy; the Office of the United States Trade Representative; the United States Trade and Development Agency; the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC); the U.S. Small Business Administration; and the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank).

This sixth meeting of the Commission is focused on exploring opportunities for further economic and commercial cooperation between Turkey and the United States. The Commission is a key component in realizing our shared goal of strengthening our economic partnership, and builds on the work of the U.S.-Turkey Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation held in October 2010. The delegations discuss trade, investment and entrepreneurship, as well as pharmaceutical, energy, and agricultural issues under this framework.

Prior to the meeting, the U.S. and Turkish delegations met with private sector representatives to discuss promising areas for joint trade and investment.