Construction

The construction sector is one of the leading sectors of the Turkish economy in terms of creating employment and increasing export. It supports 150 sub-sectors such as cement, ceramics, wood, glass industries.

The share of the construction sector in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is between 3-8%; in 2005 it had a share at the rate of 4.4% and its total expenditures constituted 44.084 billion YTL. The construction sector, whose share in total employment was 4.7% in 2004, increased this share up to 5.3% in 2005. According to the figures, it provides employment opportunity for 1,171 million of employees among 22,046 million. The total number of countries in which Turkish contractors do business increased to 63, the total volume of business increased to 64 billion dollars and the number of projects which are carried out exceeded 3,000. In 2005, the tenders received from abroad are in the amount of 9.3 billion dollars and the shares received from world markets is around 3%.

With the increase in exports of construction materials and contracting services especially in recent years, it is seen that the importance of the sector and the significance of activities to be made in relation to international competitiveness have also been increasing.

The activities to be carried out at the national level for sectoral competitiveness will provide profit in the sense of harmonization with the European Union. COM (97) 359 "European Certificate of Competitiveness of Construction Industry" was granted to responsibility of our Ministry during Business and Industry Policy Negotiations and showing effort on the following four issues has been brought up to the agenda of the Member States, as emphasized in the decisions of the Ministers of Industry Meeting of European Council dated 7 May 1998:

• Upgrading of quality in the construction sector,

• Taking measures by considering the development of the construction sector in public tenders

• Increasing the training and image of the construction sector,

• Providing R&D incentives and coordination of activities by ensuring the entry of research and development activities to the construction and related industries as a real innovation.

The upgrading of the qualifications in the construction sector is one of the most important issues for the construction sector of our country and firm steps have been taken by our Ministry with the publishing of the Construction Inspection Law. Although the sector is at a point where further development is needed, the dialogue with the sector is one of the most important issues for overlapping of the direction of this development with the concept of quality that also interests other sectors and the development of new tools in this field. Conducting works and researches on public-private sector partnership or different tender and financing methods is another important issue for the development and industrialization of the construction industry. Because, in recent years, the share of the public in the construction sector decreases, and better utilization of the dynamics of the private sector by the public will provide benefits for the country's development.
 

In order to raise the training level of employment in the construction sector and establish a system of national professional qualifications, the steps to be taken for the right of the establishment with the EU and for the free movement of services in legislation and institutional structuring will ensure the fulfilment of the minimum requirements in this field. However, special training activities to be developed should be handled in dialogue with the sectors. The fact that bringing a new image to the sector in this respect will also ensure that more talented young people enter the sector.

As a result of providing the first three matters, research and development activities, the fourth matter, are built on them and are one of the final steps to complete and support the cycle. To be able to produce economically and healthily in the construction sector, having new, original and advanced technology is the priority. In order to achieve this condition, it is necessary to determine the research and development activities in the best way, to participate in these activities and to reflect the results obtained cooperatively to the application. In this context, R & D activities are one of the important points that will give a new direction to the sector, improve it, and increase its competitiveness and productivity