The Turkish Competition Authority took action with an aim to strengthen the existing relationships between Türkiye and the Balkan countries based on our common historical heritage, cultural ties and geography while understanding and solving current issues in competition law and spreading competition culture in the region.  

Within this framework, the Balkan Initiative was formed through the organization of the Turkish Competition Authority and the participation of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, Greece and Romania competition authorities, and an online meeting was held on November 9, 2021, titled “Recent Trends in Competition Law Enforcement in the Balkans,” with the attendance of high-level representatives from the aforementioned competition authorities.  

Starting from the second half of 2024, the Turkish Competition Authority put forward the idea of creating the “Balkan Competition Platform” in order to revitalize the Balkan Initiative with various activities while strengthening and institutionalizing the cooperation between the countries in the region. The first meeting of the Platform was hosted by the Turkish Competition Authority on September 30, 2024 in Istanbul, with the participation of high-level representatives from the competition Authorities of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Romania, Greece and Hungary (guest of honor). 

The Balkan Competition Platform aims to ensure smooth running of markets in the Balkan region, which is a crossroads connecting the east-west and north-south trade corridors and holds an important strategic position, while promoting sustainable and stable development in compliance with the precepts of free market economy.  The Balkan Competition Platform is intended to facilitate sharing of information, experience and best practices among the authorities responsible for the implementation of competition law and policy in the Balkan countries, and thus improve regional cooperation.