The Constitutional Court evaluated the balance between employees' freedom of expression and employers' honor and reputation in its new decision on freedom of expression. The Constitutional Court stated that the interference to the freedom of expression should be evaluated as a whole. It also reiterated its position that public officials have to endure more criticism on matters related to their duties.

The asset peace incentive introduced with Law No. 7256 provides various opportunities for the assets held abroad or located in Turkey but not included in the business records to be brought to Turkey or be recorded. With the publication of Presidential Decree No. 5058, the deadline for the notices to be made to avail of the asset peace has been extended from 31 December 2021 to 30 June 2022.

Law No. 7346 amending certain laws was published in the Official Gazette on 25 December 2021 and became effective on the same date. We now set out below more details regarding the regulations under the New Law concerning the electric vehicle charging stations. 

The Turkish Medicine and Medical Devices Authority published the new Regulation on Marketing Authorization of Pharmaceutical Products. The Regulation sets forth new rules on critical issues such as application processes for marketing authorizations and approval for emergency use.

The Turkish Medicine and Medical Devices Authority published the Regulation on Variations to Pharmaceuticals with Marketing Authorization. The Regulation on Variations defines new rules that will be applied to the changes to pharmaceuticals with marketing authorization. 

Recent Development

A draft bill that aims to amend the Capital Markets Law to set the legal framework regarding crypto assets, which are one of the hot topics on Turkey's agenda, has been put on the table in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

Recent Developments

The Regulation on the Operation Principles of Digital Banks and Service Model Banking previously published by the Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Authority as a draft regulation, aiming to determine the principles of branchless banking and service banking, was published in the Official Gazette on 29 December 2021 and will enter into force on 1 January 2022

In accordance with the protocol signed between the Middle East Technical University and the Information Technologies and Communications Authority on 21 December 2018, all authorizations regarding the management and allocation of ".tr" domain names have been transferred from Nic.tr to the Authority. Nic.tr recently informed users that the transfer of management of ".tr" domain names to the Authority is expected to be completed by January 2022. Once the transfer is completed, the Nic.tr platform will be shut down completely and the ".tr" Network Information System will become operational shortly after. The activation of the System will bring about radical changes to several procedures, such as the allocation, transfer and renewal of ".tr" domain names. 

The Ministry of Trade introduced amendments to monetary thresholds and fines in customs legislation and the date of temporary limitation concerning applications for authorized operator certificates with the (1) Customs General Communiqué (Customs Transactions) (Serial No: 181) and (2) the Regulation Amending the Regulation on Facilitating Customs Procedures. 

In accordance with the protocol signed by the Middle East Technical University and the Information Technologies and Communications Authority on 21 December 2018, all authorizations regarding the management and allocation of ".tr" domain names have been transferred from Nic.tr to the Authority. Nic.tr recently announced to its users that the transfer of management of ".tr" domain names to the Authority is expected to be completed by January 2022. Following the completion of the said transfer, the Nic.tr platform will be closed completely and the ".tr" Network Information System will become operational in the near future. Once the System period begins, there will be significant amendments to the currently used concepts, definitions and abbreviations related to ".tr" domain names.