The Import Regime of 2008, reflecting both Turkey's international rights and obligations and the country's economic needs, has been prepared by taking into account the agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Customs Union Agreement between Turkey and the European Union, the free trade agreements signed with various countries, the preferential treatments granted by Turkey to the least developed countries and some developing countries within the framework of generalized system of preferences and also the specific needs and requirements of the agricultural and industrial sectors.
Turkey maintains a transparent and open trade regime. The clarity of the Import Regime is ensured by indicating the rates of the customs duties separately for countries and country groups and the products are classified under six lists. Namely;
In addition, the changes made by the Undersecretariat of Customs on the tariff nomenclature and/or descriptions of the items for the year 2005 are taken into consideration and related amendments and arrangements are made in all the lists and communiqués annexed to the Import Regime.
The Import Regime is published in the Official Journal, dated 31 December 2007 and No: 26743 bis came into force as of 1 January 2008.
The main features of the 2008 Import Regime Decree can be summarized as follows:
Amendments in Agricultural, Processed Agricultural and Fish-Fishery Products: Turkey has concluded various free trade agreements and the preferential treatments accorded to these countries in agricultural , processed agricultural and fishery products are reflected to the annexed lists of the Import Regime Decree. Customs duty rates on agricultural products in List : I and on fish and fishery products in List:IV, has been rearranged by taking into consideration the demands of the sectors, views of the relevant institutions and organizations and Turkey's commitments arising from the international agreements . The customs duty rates applied on the industrial components of the processed agricultural products which are indicated in List III are aligned to the EU's common customs tariff rates.
Amendments in Industrial Products: Regarding the provisions of the Decision No:1/95 on the EU-Turkey Customs Union, Turkey has to apply simultaneously the EU common external tariff (CET) for most imports of industrial products and for the industrial component of processed agricultural products imported from the third countries. In this context, tariff reductions of the EU"s towards the third countries has been reflected by Turkey to the products covered in List: II of the Import Regime Decree.
Also according to the provisions of the Customs Union Agreement ,Turkey has to align itself with the EU’s preferences under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) which regulates autonomous customs duty preferences in favor of the least developed countries and some developing countries. The EU’s such tariff preferences to these countries are reflected List II of the Import Regime Decree.
As is known, Turkey enacted a new Decree on August 25, 2004 with the major aim of completing its obligations and aligning itself to the EU’s GSP Regime . With this new Decree all industrial products covered by the EU’s GSP Regime are included into Turkey’s GSP. As a result Turkey has fully completed the adoption of the EU’s GSP Regime in terms of countries and products. In addition, in order to increase the competitive capacity of the domestic producers, the "suspension list” has been rearranged in cooperation with the EU and those goods are indicated in List-V. This List shows either reduced or mostly suspended customs duties applied to imports of certain products predominately used as raw material or intermediate inputs in chemical and electronic industries.
End use products of the European Union, has been indicated in Lists I, II and V with the symbol (a) added to the end of the item description.
The 24 Import Communiques appended to the Import Regulation arrange imports with regard to the public order, public moral and public security, the preservation of the human, animal and plant health, the protection of the environment, consumer rights as well as the import policies in force and the international agreements.
For further information please do not hesitate to contact the following points:
Address: Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade, the Directorate General for Imports, Department of Safeguard Measures and Surveillance, 06510 Inonu Bulvari – Emek/Ankara TURKEY
Tel: +90.312.212 88 00 / ext.1363, 1377 1381,1358, 1363
Fax: +90.312.212 87 65
E-mail: erbils@foreigntrade.gov.tr, ekizoglum@foreigntrade.gov.tr, akpinarl@foreigntrade.gov.tr