​According to the Law on Municipalities and the Special Provincial Administration, both types of government are entitled to establish sister city relations, to join international organisations or to implement joint projects and activities with their foreign counterparts. The decision taken for this purpose by the local assembly is however subject to the approval by the Ministry of Interior (which supervises the local governments). The Ministry of Interior usually consults the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The municipal level is usually more active than the provincial level in international relations.

The Union of Municipality of Turkey (UMT) is a member of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR). It also keeps the secretariat of the Turkish National Delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

In addition, the Union of Municipality of Marmara (UMM) is a member of the Network of Association of Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS), of which it held the presidency for the period 2012-2013. . Moreover, sends 5 delegates to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

Local governments and their associations use informal ways of representation and lobbying in Brussels, as the current legislation does not allow them to open formal representation/liaison offices abroad. On the other side, the Joint Consultative Committee between the EU Committee of the Regions and Turkey has not been established; despite several calls made by the CoR for such a formal platform with the EU candidate country (the establishment of such a body requires an official request from the Turkish Government). Thus the CoR Working Group on Turkey consisting of 12 full and 12 alternate members provides a working link between the CoR and Turkish local governments.

Sources:

• Assembly of European Regions
• CEMR, Turkey
• Constitution of Turkey.
• Council of European Municipalities and Regions
• Council of Europe - Congress of Local and Regional Authorities recommendation for Local Democracy in Turkey (2007, Autumn Session, CPL(14)10REC, 22 October 2007)
• Law on Municipalities, Law N° 5393, dates from 03.07.2005.
• Law on Special Provincial Administration, Law N° 5302, dates from 22.02.2005.
• Law on Metropolitan Municipalities, Law N° 5216, dates from 10.07.2004.
• List of Regional Offices Based in Brussels, EU Committee of the Regions.
• NALAS (Network of Association of Local Authorities of South-East Europe)
• Union of Municipalities of Marmara
• Under the supervision of Professors Michael Keating and Jacques Ziller, Study on the Division of Powers between the EU, the Member States and regional and Local Authorities, European University Institute, Florence, 2008.