Product Compliance
in Turkey

The TSE (Turkish Standards Institute – Türk Standartları Enstitüsü) is the only authorized body for standardization in Turkey.  It is a public institution founded in 1960.

TSE is an active member of the world standardization community; with full membership in the ISO, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC).  Therefore, most Turkish standards are harmonized with European or international standards.

Product compliance law in Turkey is in line with the EU legislation. In 1995 the Customs Union with the European Union has been established (Decision 1/95 of the EU-Turkey Association Council, 96/142/EC). The Decision regulates, among others, trade in manufactured products (MP) and processed agricultural products (PAP). The purpose of the Agreement is to ensure the free movement of MP and PAP between Turkey and the EU.  The Agreement eliminates import controls at the EU-Turkey border on MP and PAP.

According to the Agreement, a product lawfully manufactured and/or marketed in Turkey should be treated equal to a product lawfully manufactured and/or marketed in the EU. This rule applies to the sectors for which Turkey has aligned its legislation with the EU law.

Such products should not be subject to import controls.

The Decision also obligates Turkey to adopt EU legislation on products and on quality infrastructure, especially on CE marking requirements, notified bodies, market surveillance, accreditation, standardisation, metrology and mutual recognition in the non-harmonised area.

Companies which sell products to the Turkish market have to prove they follow all relevant regulations (i.e., CE Mark) by providing a conformity certificate from a notified body or a manufacturer’s declaration of conformity.

The aim of conformity assessment is to ensure consistency and compliance with EU harmonized legislation. To confirm that products meet conformity standards requirement the verified laboratory testing conducted by an EU-approved notified body is required or manufacturer’s self-declaration is demanded.

According to the so-called Communiques on Import Inspections, the TSE is the relevant body to perform import inspections.  For the purpose of the inspection, the importer should be able to prove the compliance of the product with the Turkish product legislation. Inspections on investigated products are carried out electronically through the Risk-Based Control System in Foreign Trade, also known as “TAREKS.”

This electronic surveillance system enables instant information sharing related to inspection outcomes and tracks products/manufacturers that do not meet required safety thresholds.

The following regulations designate products which are subject to the registration in the Turkish TAREKS:

– Communiqué on International Fairs Organized Domestically (Import: 2022/1)

– Communiqué on the Importation of War Weapons and Their Parts and Parts (Import: 2022/2)

– Communiqué on Import of Radioactive Substances and the Devices Using These (Import: 2022/3)

– Communiqué on Import of High-Intensity Sweeteners (Import: 2022/4)

– Communiqué on the Import of Maps and Goods Containing Map Information (Import: 2022/5)

– Communiqué on the Generalized System of Preferences (Import: 2022/6)

– Communiqué on Import of Road Vehicles (Import: 2022/7)

– Communiqué on Import of Civil Aircraft (Import: 2022/8)

– Communiqué on Imports of Used or Refurbished Goods (Import: 2022/9)

– Communiqué on Import of Banknotes and Similar Papers of Precious Documents (Import: 2022/10)

– Communiqué on Import of Certain Explosives, Firearms, Knives and Similar Tools (Import: 2022/11)

– Communiqué on Approval of Documents on Dual-Use Materials and Technologies (Import: 2022/12)

– Communiqué on Import of Certain Substances Affecting Occupational Health and Safety (Import: 2022/13)

– Communiqué on Import of Ozone Depleting Substances and Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (Import: 2022/14)

– Communiqué on Permits to be Obtained for Imports by Public Institutions and Organizations (Import: 2022/15)

– Communiqué on Fertilizer Imports (Import: 2022/16)

– Communiqué on Import of Chemical Substances Annexed to the Chemical Weapons Convention (Import: 2022/17)

– Communiqué on Suspension System (Import: 2022/18)

– Communiqué on Import of Medical Diagnostic Kits (Import: 2022/19)

– Communiqué on Import of Goods with Electronic Identity Information (Import: 2022/20)

– Electronic Application System Communiqué in Import Procedures (Import: 2022/21)