"Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation" Signed between Türkiye and Italy

Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan, Minister of Labor and Social Security, came together with Marina Elvira Calderone, Minister of Labor and Social Policies of Italy, during his visit to Italy to hold various meetings and attend official programs.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to further develop cooperation between the two countries in the fields of the working life, employment, vocational training, and social security.

Minister Işıkhan stated that the two Ministries had agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation during the meeting held in Chisinau last March. The Minister also noted that, thanks to the dedicated and intensive efforts of the technical delegations, the process had been brought to a concrete outcome within a short period of time.

Minister Işıkhan expressed his satisfaction that relations with Italy, Türkiye’s NATO ally and strategic partner, continue to develop positively in all areas on the basis of mutual respect, common interests, and high-level close contacts. “We believe that the close dialogue between our esteemed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, together with reciprocal visits, has made a significant contribution to strengthening coordination and cooperation between our two countries. The 4th Intergovernmental Summit, held in April last year, was an important indication of the level our bilateral relations have reached. On the occasion of the Summit, our Leaders set the goal of increasing our bilateral trade volume to 40 billion dollars, which was an important development. Our growing partnerships across various sectors, particularly in the defence industry, demonstrate that our economic relations are becoming increasingly deeper,” said the Minister.

“We Prioritize Addressing the Issues Faced by the Turkish Community in Italy and Italian Citizens in Türkiye in Work Life”

Pointing out that growing economic relations are also creating new opportunities in terms of qualified human resources and labor mobility, Minister Işıkhan continued his words as follows:

“This situation also places important responsibilities on us in the fields of the world of work and social policies. Therefore, we wish to further advance this multifaceted cooperation between Türkiye and Italy in the fields of labor and social policies as well. We believe that sharing our experiences, particularly in vocational training, employment policies, and the sustainability of social security systems, will make significant contributions to both countries. We attach importance to addressing the issues faced by the Turkish community in Italy and Italian citizens in Türkiye in working life.”

“We Will Further Advance the Strong Relations between Two Friendly and Allied Countries through a Common Vision for the Future of the World of Work By Signing the Memorandum of Understanding Today”

Emphasizing his belief that the Memorandum of Understanding to be signed would provide new momentum to cooperation between the two Ministries, Işıkhan stated:

“We see this MoU not merely as a document, but as the beginning of a more planned, systematic and institutionalized framework for implementing cooperation between our Ministries. In this way, we will mutually be able to share our knowledge, experience and examples of good practices, and regularly assess the progress of our cooperation through the Joint Working Group to be established. We will support our common agenda in the fields of labor, employment, vocational training, skills transformation and social security through concrete activities. I believe that, with the MoUs we will sign here today, we will further advance the strong relations between these two friendly and allied countries through a common vision for the future of the working life. With these thoughts in mind, I wish that the MoU will bring prosperity and benefit to our countries and societies, and I would like to thank everyone who contributed to its preparation and conclusion.”

Following the meeting, Minister Işıkhan and Minister Calderone signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministries of the two countries.