Recent Development The Regulation Amending the Regulation on the Electronic Tender, the Regulation Amending the Regulation on the Service Procurement Tender, the Regulation Amending the Regulation on the Goods Procurement Tender, and the Regulation Amending the Regulation on Construction Works Tender entered into force after publication in the Official Gazette on January 26, 2021.

Recent Development |

The Ministry of Trade amended the Regulation on Commercial Advertisements and Unfair Commercial Practices on 3 February 2021. The amendment added a new example of a misleading commercial practice to the "Examples of Unfair Commercial Practices" list in the appendix of the Regulation. 

Recent Development

On January 15, 2021, the Turkish Medicine and Medical Devices Authority (”TİTCK”) announced the practices for the registration and evaluation processes of medical devices post-Brexit. The TİTCK’s announcement is available online here (in Turkish).

Recent Development

The Regulation on Medical Devices Manufactured Utilizing Animal Origin Tissue (“Regulation“) was published on the Official Gazette on January 14, 2021. The Regulation entered into force on the date of its publication.

On January 6, 2021, the Turkish Medicine and Medical Devices Authority (“TİTCK”) presented the draft Regulation on Cosmetic Products for public opinion. The TİTCK announced that it updated the Guideline on the Registration of Technical Service Providers and Relevant Technical Personnel. The TİTCK also issued new announcements regarding the Pharmaceuticals Tracking System, List of Overseas GMP Inspected Facility, and Activities and Early Access Programs for Pharmaceuticals.

Recent Development

On December 29, 2020, Turkey and the United Kingdom signed a Free Trade Agreement (“Agreement“). The Agreement entered into force on January 1, 2021.

Recent Development

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (“Ministry”) published the Amendment Regulation of Procedures and Principles Regarding the Production and Trade of Tobacco Products and the Amendment Regulation of Procedures and Principles Regarding Tobacco Production, Processing, Domestic and International Trade (“Amendment Regulations“) in the Official Gazette No. 31351 on December 31, 2020.

New Developments

The Regulation Amending the Organized Natural Gas Wholesale Market Regulation, which was published in the Official Gazette on 12 January 2021 (“Amending Regulation“) and became effective on the same date, brought new provisions regarding the natural gas futures market.

Recent Development

Effective 1 January 2021, higher fines will be imposed for certain violations of the Law No. 6502 on Protection of Consumers (“Consumer Protection Law“). The fines will increase by 9.11% from 2020.

Recent Development

Consumer complaints against sellers and manufacturers may be brought before Turkish consumer courts only if the amount in dispute is above a certain threshold. These thresholds are determined shortly before the beginning of each calendar year. Consumer complaints below the jurisdictional thresholds may only be brought before a consumer arbitral tribunal. Through the Communiqué on Raising the Monetary Limits Set Forth in Article 68 of Law No. 6502 on the Protection of Consumers and Article 6 of the Consumer Arbitral Tribunals Regulation, Turkey set the threshold for 2021, raising it by 9,11%.