Bilateral relations

A longstanding diplomatic partnership

Luxembourg and Türkiye established diplomatic relations in July 1946 with the appointment of the first Turkish Ambassador to Luxembourg. In 2011, Luxembourg opened its Embassy in Ankara, further strengthening bilateral engagement.

In 2026, our two countries will celebrate 80 years of diplomatic relations.

The bilateral relationship is characterized by regular high-level contacts, including :

• June 2025: Türkiye’s Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek, visited Luxembourg.
• September 2024: Luxembourg’s Minister of Finance, Gilles Roth, paid a working visit to Ankara and Istanbul.
• March 2024: Luxembourg’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, attended the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

In November 2013, their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg paid a State Visit to Türkiye at the invitation of President Abdullah Gül.

Further exchanges are foreseen in 2026, including on the margins of major multilateral events hosted by Türkiye (NATO Summit, COP31, Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Inter Parliamentary Union, …)

People-to-people ties

• As of 1 January 2025, 1,972 Turkish nationals reside in Luxembourg.
• As of 31 March 2025, 72 Luxembourg nationals were officially resident in Türkiye.
• In 2025, 19.309 Luxembourg tourists visited Türkiye.
• Within the scope of Erasmus+ higher education mobility actions, 47 Turkish students and staff have visited Luxembourg, and 3 Luxembourg students and staff have visited Türkiye.

Regular direct air connections have linked the two countries since 2013, notably through Turkish Airlines and seasonal Luxair services. A Memorandum of Understanding signed in July 2024 between the Turkish and Luxembourg civil aviation authorities maintains 14 weekly passenger flight frequencies and facilitates cargo operations between Luxembourg, Istanbul and Ankara.

Following the devastating earthquakes in south-east Türkiye in February 2023, Luxembourg provided financial and logistical assistance and deployed its satellite-based emergency communications platform emergency.lu to support relief operations.

Trade and Investment Relations

Since the establishment of the EU–Türkiye Customs Union in 1995, bilateral trade has grown significantly.

Total trade volume (2024): €218 million

•  Luxembourg exports to Türkiye (2024): €164 million (5th largest export destination outside the EU)
• Luxembourg imports from Türkiye (2024): €54 million (7th largest source of imports outside the EU)

Luxembourg’s main exports include machinery and electrical equipment, chemical products, plastics, transport material and metal products. Imports from Türkiye are mainly textiles, metals, plastics and machinery.

A double taxation treaty, signed in 2003 and in force since 2005 (amended in 2011), provides a stable and predictable framework for bilateral economic cooperation.

Luxembourg plays an important role in international investment flows linked to Türkiye:

• In 2024, Luxembourg ranked 12th among foreign investors in Türkiye (annual flow: USD 97 million).
• The stock of Luxembourg investment in Türkiye reached USD 9.7 billion, placing Luxembourg 7th in terms of total investment stock.
• Luxembourg remains a significant destination for Turkish outward investment (with an estimated stock of approx. USD 900 million).