Recent Development
The Ministry of Customs and Trade recently announced that the safety stamp protocol (the “Protocol“) was signed with the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (tr.,“TOBB“), authorizing the TOBB to grant e-commerce websites safety stamps.
Background
The Ministry of Customs and Trade published the Safety Stamp Communiqué (“Communiqué“) to address security and privacy concerns in the e-commerce sector and enable a safe e- commerce environment for consumers. The Communiqué entered into force on June 6, 2017.
A “safety stamp” is an electronic stamp confirming the relevant service provider or the intermediary service provider has met the industry’s high safety and quality standards; the safety stamp thus conveys a company’s reliability and commitment to safety and quality.
What’s New?
Service providers and intermediary service providers who engage in e-commerce activities will
apply to the TOBB for a safety stamp by submitting information and documents evidencing they have met the requirements set forth under the Communiqué.
The Minister of Customs and Trade noted that the safety stamp will especially be of great importance to small and medium sized enterprises, enabling them to enter the market more easily.
Conclusion
The e-commerce sector is rapidly growing; in 2017, e-commerce platform users reached 25% of the total population of Turkey. Thus, the Communiqué introduces a highly important system for service providers and intermediary service providers engaged in e-commerce activities.
Companies seeking to obtain a safety stamp should therefore closely follow the procedures under the Communiqué to apply to the TOBB for a safety stamp.
