TUSKON EU has been active in Brussels between 2006 and 2016 as the Brussels office of Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON) to contribute to the Europeanization of Turkey and bettering of EU-Turkey relations. In those 10 years, TUSKON EU hosted more than 100 events in Brussels and different capitals in Europe covering many issues from economy to rights of minorities and regional developments. At these events a variety of prominent names such as EU commissioners, EU party leaders, ministers of member countries and Turkey, politicians from opposition parties, journalists, think tankers and NGO representatives have been speakers and panelists.
After 2013 December huge corruption scandal in Turkey, TUSKON asked for a thorough investigation of all allegations and also wanted guarantees of respect for rule of law under all circumstances. As a result, TUSKON faced a strong pressure from government and state institutions, members of TUSKON forced to resign from TUSKON or facing non-stop harassment from tax, other regulatory bodies and even call back of their credits by public owned banks.
The government pressure on TUSKON and her members turned into another face after the July 15th, 2016 coup attempt and TUSKON and 180 TUSKON member businesspeople associations have been officially banned and closed; more than 8000 TUSKON members face prosecutions whose more than half put into prison with charges linked to terrorism.
TUSKON EU, with its small team, has been functioning as a separate Belgian association since January 2016 and is functioning to bring up the following issues at political levels mainly in Brussels and European capitals but also at other international organizations.
- Bringing up the oppression faced by businesspeople, including transfer of wealth up to 50 billion dollars, in Turkey and other countries as a result of the pressure by Turkish government.
- Raising human rights violations in general after the failed coup attempt in Turkey at international level and helping people to reach to international organizations to seek help.
- Lobbying to EU institutions to shed light on deepening human right crisis in Turkey and requesting EU involvement to help people in crisis.