Turkey Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in turkey, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Standards for Trade
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Overview

Products tested and certified in the United States in accordance with U.S. standards and regulations are likely to be retested and re-certified to Turkish requirements. Türkiye’s customs union agreement with the EU and efforts to adapt all EU regulations means that certain certification standards may differ from those of the U.S.

The CE Mark was established by the EU to ensure products circulating within Europe met certain health, safety, consumer, and environmental protection standards. 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 EU directives. 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 compliance, the relevant authority in charge of product safety inspections depends on the type of product in question.

The Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) is the national body responsible for standards and conformity assessments. It inspects CE-marked and other products at customs. Products failing these inspections may be blocked from entry. Both U.S. companies and GoT 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 for additional inspection. 

U.S. products without the CE marking have, at times, been held at Customs after Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) inspections. Manufacturers have been required to demonstrate compliance with related standards. Türkiye carries out market surveillance—both at the point of entry and after products hit the market. This includes inspections, document checks, and lab analysis of samples taken from products at any stage: manufacturing, import, or in-market stages. The system operates through a coordinated structure involving nine designated official bodies, overseen by the Ministry. These bodies ensure that all products comply with safety and technical regulations. A key instrument in this framework is GÜBİS (Güvensiz Ürün Bilgi Sistemi), a publicly accessible registry of unsafe products identified through surveillance. 
 

Enforcement measures can include product recalls, fines, and import prohibitions. Notably, Turkish regulators have enhanced market surveillance for e‑commerce platforms. A new regulation which became effective on April 1, 2025, specifically targets goods sold via remote or online channels, giving authorities expanded inspection powers.

Standards

TSE, founded in 1960, is the sole authorized body for standardization in Türkiye. 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 ISO, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC). 
TSE provides standards aimed at enabling companies to provide goods and services in compliance with internationally recognized rules, laws, codes, and standards. 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 in accordance with EU regulations, and all G mark requirements in accordance with GSO regulations. Inspection and surveillance, testing, certification, calibration, CE marking, and standards services are among the services provided by TSE.

Testing, Inspection and Certification

Conformity assessments are designed to ensure consistency and compliance with EU harmonized legislation and ensure a product is accepted in the import market. Products must go through verified laboratory testing by an EU-approved notified body, or, in some cases, a manufacturer’s self-declaration, to meet Türkiye’s conformity standards requirements. Companies selling to the Turkish market must submit evidence of conformity to all relevant regulations (i.e. CE marking) either by providing a notarized conformity certificate from a notified body or a manufacturer-issued certificate of conformity. 

TSE is the relevant authority charged with import inspections. Inspections on products that fall under certain communiques are carried out electronically through TAREKS. This electronic surveillance system enables instant information sharing related to inspection outcomes and tracks products/manufacturers that do not meet required safety thresholds. According to the new regulation that has been introduced in August 2025, authorization actions such as assigning, revoking, suspension, or extending user access are now processed online within TAREKS and that users must hold an electronic signature, mobile e-signature, or e‑Gov login credentials to operate within the system.
For products falling outside of the scope of the EU directives and where the GoT has established a directive or standard, the current Turkish standard or directive would apply. 

TSE issues a letter of conformity when a “declaration of conformity” is submitted prior to import, however, TSE retains the right to request product documentation and test product themselves to verify that the certificates and/or marks were issued in accordance with law. 

Publication of Technical Regulations

The “Decree on the Regime of Technical Regulations and Standardization for Foreign Trade” (the Regime) prohibits discrimination among trading partners and ensures that imported products comply with health, safety, and environmental protection requirements. The Regime is routinely amended to harmonize with EU technical legislation.
TSE publishes all standards and directives in the Official Gazette daily. Official Gazette documents are available online.

Contact Information

WTO Members are required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) to notify the WTO of proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures that could affect trade. A free, web-based e-mail registration service titled ‘Notify U.S.’ 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 countries and industry sectors of interest. Users may also request full regulation texts. This service and its associated website are managed and operated by the U.S. WTO TBT Inquiry Point housed within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Turkish Standards Institution (Turk Standartlari Enstitusu)
Necatibey Caddesi 112
06100 Bakanliklar
Ankara, Türkiye
Tel: +90-312-416-6200
https://en.tse.org.tr

Ministry of Trade
Sogutozu Mh. 2176. Sk. No:63 
06530 Cankaya
Ankara, Türkiye
Phone: +90-312-204-7500
Call Center: +90-312-444-8482
https://www.trade.gov.tr
 

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