The National coordination unit for the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) is the Ministry of Transport – Department of External Relations and the Directorate General for Road Transport.

ITF studies constitute an important data base for the formulation of member countries’ transport policies. Analytical studies and statistical data periodically gathered by the ITF serve as a source of reference for member countries in their efforts to shape and further develop their transport policies. In this respect, the Forum is one of the important sources that Türkiye can benefit from in its studies in the field of transport.

ITF Secretariat prepares publications, performs in-depth reviews and makes recommendations on global transport issues. In this context, ITF has decided to conduct a peer review on “Intermodal Transport in Turkey” in 2006. This review was launched under the title “Intermodal Transport: A Sustainable Option: National Peer Review Turkey” in April 2009 during the Turkish Presidency of the ITF. The review provides valuable recommendations, data and insight to the Turkish transport sector.

Türkiye undertook the ITF Presidency during 2008-2009. The second Ministerial of the ITF was held under the Turkish Presidency with the theme of “Transport for a Global Economy: Challenges and Opportunities in the Downturn” between 26 and 29 May 2009 in Leipzig.

In the new structure of the ITF, Road Transport Group of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT), the predecessor of the ITF, has been maintained. Türkiye attaches utmost importance to the distribution of ECMT multilateral licenses which became operational on 1 January 1974 with the purpose of making transport more practical, faster, efficient and unhindered and thus, facilitating the trade among the member countries. ECMT licenses are calculated on the basis of quotas and provide the member countries with the opportunity of transit and transport in the third countries within the quota system without depending on the bilateral transport licenses. These licenses are issued for either 1 month or 1 year and classified according to the vehicle types.

In the new system which was put into effect as of January 2006, the Basic Quota of each country is defined according to the following 10 criteria that are closely related to the transport sector:

- Freight transport by road,
- Contribution to the (ECMT/ITF) budget,
- Gross Domestic Product,
- Annual growth in GDP,
- Population and territory,
- Percentage use of ECMT licenses,
- TIRs issued in ECMT countries,
- Trade in goods total,
- Non-intra EU/EEA/CH trade volume,
- Weights given to each of the criteria.

As the statistical data in the above criteria varies, Basic Quotas of the countries also change accordingly. Türkiye’s Basic Quota increased from 141 to 250 on 1 January 2006 and reached 315 as of 1 January 2011. Türkiye follows closely the work of the Road Transport Group, especially in defining the number of the Basic Quotas.