Describes the country's standards landscape, identifies the national standards and accreditation bodies, and lists the main national testing organization(s) and conformity assessment bodies.
Last Published: 6/25/2019

Overview

Products tested and certified in the United States to U.S. regulations and standards are likely to have to be retested and re-certified to Turkish requirements because of Turkey’s Customs Union agreement with the EU and efforts to adapt all EU regulations, which take a different approach to the protection of the health and safety of consumers and the environment.

The CE Mark was established by the EU to ensure the free circulation of products in Europe.  The directives that entered into effect were established to ensure health, safety, consumer and environmental protection.  Annexes to the various EU directives specify levels of risk and types of products that must be certified either by a notified body or by the manufacturer as conforming to the particular directive(s).  The EU’s laws and regulations make it compulsory to comply with the directives when goods are sold in the EU territory and the European Economic Area (EEA).  Companies must show evidence of product compliance by maintaining or presenting a technical file that includes product specifications, technical drawings, and standards applied per the appropriate directives and corresponding annexes.  Regarding post-market surveillance, the relevant authority in charge of the product safety inspections depends on the type of product in question.

Both U.S. companies and Turkish Government officials have acknowledged that products of EU origin bearing the CE mark, regardless of point of origin, are not subject to inspection and, therefore, Turkish customs authorities sometimes unfairly single out U.S. products.  In some cases, U.S. products, despite their CE Marks, have been subjected to additional tests.  In certain cases, parts and components of final equipment which, according to EU regulations, would not be subject to CE marking, were held at Customs after Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) inspections due to a lack of CE marking.  Manufacturers have been required to demonstrate compliance with related standards or provide technical proof that they would not fall under the related New Approach Directives.  TSE has argued that this policy is necessary because Turkey does not have an after-market monitoring system in place to ensure consumer protection.

Standards

TSE, the sole authorized body for standardization in Turkey, is a public institution founded in 1960 with Law No 132.  It is responsible for certification, testing and training as well as surveillance and inspection activities.  To execute the duties given it by law, all TSE units are structured in a way that ensures financial and administrative independence. 

TSE is an active member of the world standardization community; with full membership in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) since 1956, in the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) since 2010, in the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and in the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) since 2012. 

TSE provides standards aimed at enabling companies to produce goods and provide services in compliance with rules, laws, codes and standards applicable in global markets.  As a notified body, TSE enables clients to gain access to the European and Gulf markets by ensuring their products meet all CE mark requirements according to EU directives/regulations and all G mark requirements according to GSO regulations. 

Testing, Inspection and Certification

Conformity assessment is a mandatory step for the manufacturer in the process of complying with specific EU harmonized legislation.  The purpose of conformity assessment is to ensure consistency of compliance during all stages, from design to production, to facilitate acceptance of the final product.  Products meeting the definition within a directive that Turkey has implemented for a product needing to conform to EU technical regulations must have evidence of meeting the requirements either through verified laboratory testing conducted by an EU-approved notified body or by the manufacturer’s self-declaration (if the directive dictates).  Companies selling to the Turkish market must submit evidence of conformity (CE Mark) either by providing a notarized conformity certificate from a notified body or a manufacturer’s issued certificate of conformity, which declares compliance with all relevant directives.  Conformity assessment bodies in Turkey can be found here.

Additionally, within the scope of the Communique on Import Inspections for Certain Products that Should Bear CE Marking (No 2017/9), TSE is the relevant authority for import inspections.  Within this framework, inspections on products that fall under certain communiques are carried out electronically through the Risk-Based Control System in Foreign Trade, also known as “TAREKS.”  This electronic surveillance system enables instant information sharing on the outcome of inspections and keeping track of products/manufacturers that do not meet required safety thresholds.

For products falling outside of the scope of the EU directives and where the Government of Turkey has established a directive or standard, the current standard or directive would apply.  At this point, certification of compliance with TSE standards would be required.  

TSE issues a letter of conformity when a “Declaration of Conformity” is submitted prior to import.  However, TSE may still request the technical file and test the products, if required, to confirm that the certificates and/or marks (CE mark) were issued in accordance with the relative regulations.

Publication of Technical Regulations

The "Decree on the Regime of Technical Regulations and Standardization for Foreign Trade" conforms to the requirements laid down in the WTO’s Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.  It prohibits discrimination among trading partners and aims to ensure that imported products comply with the requirements for protection of human health and safety, animal or plant life or health, or the environment.  The Regime has been amended regularly since 2004 to harmonize with EU technical legislation.

TSE publishes all standards and directives in the Official Gazette daily.  Official Gazette documents are available for purchase.

Contact Information

WTO Members are required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) to notify to the WTO proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures that could affect trade. Notify U.S. is a free, web-based e-mail registration service that captures and makes available for review and comment key information on draft regulations and conformity assessment procedures. Users receive customized e-mail alerts when new notifications are added by selected country(ies) and industry sector(s) of interest and can also request full texts of regulations.  This service and its associated web site are managed and operated by the USA WTO TBT Inquiry Point housed within the National Institute of Standards and Technology, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.” 

Turkish Standards Institution (Turk Standartlari Enstitusu)
Necatibey Caddesi 112
Standart Hazirlama Baskanligi
06100 Bakanliklar
Ankara, Turkey
Tel: +90-312-416-6200
Fax: +90-312-416-6611
https://en.tse.org.tr/
 
Ministry of Trade
Dumlupinar Bulvari no:151
Eskisehir Yolu 9. Km.
06530 Cankaya
Ankara, Turkey
Phone: +90-312-449-1000
Call Center: +90-312-444-8482
https://www.trade.gov.tr/

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