Upon its establishment in 1986, the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEİK) was assigned with the following tasks: to organise and manage the foreign economic relations of the Turkish private sector, in particular with respect to foreign trade, international investments, services, contracting and logistics; to analyse investment opportunities at home and abroad; to help boost the country’s exports, and to coordinate similar business development activities.

In 2014, DEİK was restructured, and with law No: 6552 of 11 September 2014 assigned the task of “conducting the foreign economic relations of the Turkish private sector”, to become “business diplomacy” organisation comprising Business Councils, Founding Institutions and individual members that represent Turkey’s business community and its leading entrepreneurs, contributing to the functioning of the institution on a ‘voluntary basis’.