Recent Development
The Ministry of Trade (“Ministry“) published several import communiqués (“Communiqués“) regarding product safety and supervision in the Official Gazette No. 30641 on December 30, 2018. The Communiqués entered into force on January 1, 2019 and regulate the procedures and principles regarding the supervision of certain products’ compliance with import regulations.
What’s New?
The Communiqués introduce rules and regulations regarding certain products’ compliance with the applicable law; these products include consumer goods, wastes, chemicals construction products, medical devices, and radio and telecommunication terminal equipment. In this respect, the Communiqués set out the procedures that importers must follow when importing certain products and regulate the importers’ obligations concerning product safety with regard to human health, safety of life and protection of property, environmental safety and consumer protection.
Pursuant to the Communiqués, importers must comply with the rules under the relevant Communiqué regulating the specific product imported into Turkey; make the relevant notifications to the Customs Offices or users; and ensure the product safety and the compliance of their products with the applicable law. Failure to comply with the rules and obligations under the Communiqués is subject to the administrative and/or criminal sanctions set forth under the relevant regulations.
List of the Import Communiqués:
- Communiqué on the Annulment of the Communiqué on Import Inspection of Certain Consumer Products (Product Safety and Inspection: 2018/18)
- Communiqué on the Inspection of Conformity to Import Standards (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/1)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Wastes that are under supervision relating to Environment Protection (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/3)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Products Subject to Special Ministry of Health Permission (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/4)
- Communiqué on the Import Control of Products Subject to Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Inspection (Product Safety and Inspection: No: 2019/5)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Chemicals that are under supervision relating to Environment Protection (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/6)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Solid Fuels that are under supervision relating to Environment Protection (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/7)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Radio and Telecommunication Terminal Equipment (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/8)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Certain Products Required to Bear CE Marking (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/9)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Toys (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/10)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspections of Personal Protective Equipment (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/11)
- Communiqué on the Import Controls for Certain Consumer Products Inspected by the Ministry of Customs and Trade (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/12)
- Communiqué on Announcing New Amounts of Administrative Fines Provided in the Law. No 4703 on the Preparation and Implementation of Technical Legislation on Products (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/13)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspections of Construction Products (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/14)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Batteries and Accumulators (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/15)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Medical Devices (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/16)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Certain Products Subject to Ministry of Health Inspection (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/20)
- Communiqué on the Commercial Quality Inspection on Export and Import of Certain Agricultural Products (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/21)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Metal Scraps that are under supervision relating to Environment Protection (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/23)
- Communiqué on the Import Inspection of Vehicle Parts (Product Safety and Inspection: 2019/25)
Conclusion
The Ministry places great importance on product safety and continues to issue detailed regulations regarding import inspections. Companies should follow the Ministry’s announcements and comply with the procedures and principles set forth under the Communiqués.
