The Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade prepared the "Ministerial Decree on the Regime of Technical Regulations and Standardization for Foreign Trade" and its supplementary legislation with the aim of providing transparency in the implementations, assembling all the dispersed regulations regarding standardization policies in Turkey and establishing a legal base for the harmonization of Turkish legislation with the Community’s.

The "Decree on the Regime of Technical Regulations and Standardization for Foreign Trade" is in conformity with the requirements laid down in the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade of the World Trade Organization. It prohibits discrimination among trading partners and it aims to ensure that import products comply with the requirements of protection of human health and safety, animal or plant life or health, or the environment.

The Regime mainly consists of the Ministerial Decree (i.e. Decree No: 2005/9454, for Technical Regulations and Standardization for Foreign Trade, published in the Official Journal on October 13, 2005) , a Regulation and related Communiqués. The Regulation and the Communiqués are amended every year, except the Communiqué on the Imports of CE Marked Products (published in the Turkish Official Gazette dated 14.Feb.2004 No. 25373) , for the year 2008 they have been promulgated in the Turkish Official Gazette dated 31.Dec.2007 No. 26743.

Turkey has finalized the harmonization of EU’s New Approach Directives concerning medical devices, active implantable medical devices, machinery, low voltage equipment and electromagnetic compatibility and put into force the relevant technical regulations in the domestic market. Import controls of these products are regulated by the Communiqué on the Imports of CE Marked Products, which was promulgated in the Turkish Official Gazette dated 14.2.2004 and numbered 25373.

According to this Communiqué, toys, medical devices and active implantable medical devices are subject to inspection by the TSE, which was authorized by the Ministry of Health to carry out these inspections, at the import stage. Products falling under the directives on machinery, low voltage and electromagnetic compatibility are also inspected by the TSE on behalf of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The inspections are carried out in respect of essential requirements, which are laid down in the technical regulations regarding these products.

A letter of conformity shall be issued by the TSE in case that the “Declaration of Conformity” is submitted to the TSE before the import stage. However, the TSE may still request the technical file and test the products, if required, with the aim of checking out whether the certificates and/or marks (CE mark) are issued in accordance with the Regulations of Toys, Medical Devices, Active Implantable Medical Devices, Machinery, Low Voltage and Electromagnetic Compatibility.

Besides, products, which are certified according to directives of the European Communities mentioned above, and which are freely circulated in the European Union, are not subject to any inspection procedure at the import stage.

On the other hand, toys, medical devices, active implantable medical devices and products covered by the directives of low voltage equipment, electromagnetic compatibility and machinery which are certified according to directives of the European Communities and which are freely circulated in the European Union, are not subject to any inspection procedure at the import stage unless it is obvious that these products present serious risk and danger.

2. Communiqués (2012)

1. Communiqué On Conformity Assessment on Import for Certain Products (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/1)
2. Communiqué on Radiation Controls for Food and Agricultural Products to be Imported from Japan (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/2)
3. Communiqué on Import Inspection of Wastes that are under control relating to protection of environment (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/3)
4. Communiqué on Import Inspection of Products that are Subject to Special Permission from the Ministry of Health (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/4)
5. Communiqué on Inspection of Import of Product that are Subject to Permission from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Product Safety and Inspection: No: 2012/5)
6. Communiqué on Import Inspection of Chemicals that are under control relating to protection of environment (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/6)
7. Communiqué on Import Inspection of Fuels that are under control relating to protection of environment (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/7)
8. Communiqué on Import Inspection of Radio and Telecommunication Terminal Equipment (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/8)
9. Communiqué on Import Controls of Certain Products which are required to bear CE Marking (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/9)
10. Communiqué on Import Controls of Toys (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/10)
11. Communiqué on Import Controls of Personal Protective Equipments (No: 2012/11)
12. Communiqué on Commercial Quality Inspection on Import for Certain Agricultural Products (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/12)
13. Communiqué on Announcing New Amounts of Administrative Fines Provided in 4703 numbered Law Relating To The Preparation And Implementation Of The Technical Legislation On The Products (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/13)
14. Communiqué on Import Controls of Construction Products (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/14)
15. Communiqué on Import Controls of Batteries and Accumulators (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/15)
16. Communiqué on Import Controls of Medical Appliances (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/16)
17. Communiqué on Import Controls of Forestry Cultivation Materials (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/17)
18. Communiqué on Commercial Quality Inspection on Export for Certain Agricultural Products (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/18)
19. Communiqué on Import Inspection of Tobacco, Tobacco Products, Alcohol and Alcoholic Beverages (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/19)
20. Communiqué on Import Inspection of Certain Products that are Subject to the Inspection of Ministry of Health (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/20)
21. Communiqué on Commercial Quality Inspection on Export for Certain Agricultural Products which are in the scope of the Certificate of Competence on Commercial Quality Inspection (2012/21)
22. Communiqué on Import Inspection of Metal Scraps that are under control relating to protection of environment (Product Safety and Inspection: 2012/23)

You may also see:

Harmonization to European Union Technical Legislation

1. The Law Relating To The Preparation And Implementation Of The Technical Legislation On The Products-No: 4703
   • Regulation On The Notification Of The Technical Legislation And Standards Between Turkey And The European Union
   • Regulation On The Affixing And Use Of The CE Conformity Marking On The Product - No 2001/3530
   • Regulation Relating To The Market Surveillance And Inspection Of The Products - No 2001/3529
   • Regulation On Conformity Assessment Bodies And Notified Bodies - No: 2001/3531
2. Regulation on Machinery Safety (98/37/EC)
3. Regulation on the Electrical Equipment Designed for Use within Certain Voltage Limits (73/23/EC)
4. Regulation on Electromagnetic Compatibility (2004/108/EC)
5. Regulation on In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices (98/79/EEC)
6. Regulation on Lifts (95/16/EC),
7. Regulation on Pressure Equipment (97/23/EC)
8. Regulation on Simple Pressure Vessels (87/404/EC)
9. Law No: 4457 On Establishment And Tasks Of Turkish Accreditation Agency