Summary of Foreign Trade Legislation and Key Amendments in the Official Gazette Dated July 11, 2026

Drafted by the Ministry of Trade to directly address the shifting dynamics of international commerce, new regulations entered into force upon publication in the Official Gazette on July 11, 2026. Enacted as part of the 2026 updates to foreign trade legislation, these decrees cover a broad spectrum, ranging from the import regime and surveillance practices to additional customs duties and sector-specific safeguard measures. Ongoing fluctuations in global supply chains, coupled with the imperative to support domestic manufacturers, served as the primary rationale for these legislative revisions.

Overview of the Foreign Trade Summary in the Official Gazette Dated July 11, 2026

For professionals managing foreign trade operations, customs brokers, and logistics experts, this particular issue of the Official Gazette introduces critical provisions that necessitate the revision of strategic plans. Designed to protect domestic production and prevent unfair competition, the newly established legal framework carries immediate implications for operational workflows.

Prominent Legislative Topics

Decrees enforced by the Presidency and the Ministry of Trade generally converge around three main pillars. The legal texts updating current import policies are as follows:

• Presidential Decree No. 11506: Decree on the Amendment to the Import Regime Decree.
• Presidential Decree No. 11509: Decree on the Imposition of a Safeguard Measure on Imports of PET Resin.
• Communiqués on Surveillance Practices in Imports: A total of eight new surveillance communiqués issued under numbers 2026/38 through 2026/45.
• Communiqués on Safeguard Measures in Imports: The outcomes of investigations conducted under regulations numbered 2026/4, 2026/5, and 2026/6.

Extending far beyond a mere tariff update, these texts demonstrate a recalibration of Turkey’s foreign trade policy in alignment with its macroeconomic objectives.

Significance of the Amendments for Trade Professionals

Accurately determining the tariff classification, value, and origin of goods during customs clearance is a strict legal obligation. Because the recently published legislative amendments by the Ministry of Trade have expanded surveillance practices based on customs valuation, importers are now compelled to recalculate their cost analyses. Undertaken in compliance with the standards of the Customs Union Decision established with the European Union and the founding Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO), these measures directly impact the cost structures of industrialists sourcing raw materials and intermediate goods within the supply chain. Synchronized with the goal of narrowing the current account deficit, such policies foster an environment that encourages the utilization of domestic inputs.

Interim Amendments to the Ministry of Trade’s Import Regime Decree

Serving as the backbone of Turkey’s foreign trade framework, the Import Regime Decree undergoes periodic adjustments. Executed mid-year, these interim amendments stand as proof that real-time developments in both domestic and international markets are closely monitored and met with a proactive management approach.

Scope and Implementation Principles of the Decree

Alongside Decree No. 11506, revisions were also introduced to the Decree on the Application of Additional Customs Duties on Imports. Supporting domestic employment and production without violating international obligations arising from multilateral and bilateral free trade agreements remains the focal point of these changes. Following a meticulous evaluation of requests from the agricultural and industrial sectors, commodity descriptions and customs tariff statistics positions (GTIP) were reorganized based on the “Turkish Customs Tariff Nomenclature Segmented by Statistical Positions.” Consequently, companies submitting declarations must reassign their goods’ tariffs according to the updated nomenclature to comply with these customs tariff alterations.

Affected Product Groups and GTIP Details

Implemented to monitor the trajectory of imports for domestically produced goods and to gather data against potential dumping or subsidization risks, the surveillance mechanism has expanded significantly. According to announcements by the Ministry of Trade, the updated table for surveillance practices is as follows:

Surveillance Scope	Number of Product Groups	Type of Action Taken
Updated Scope/Price	10 Product Groups	Surveillance unit prices and product scopes were updated.
Newly Added	8 Product Groups	Surveillance values were determined for the first time.
Total Changes	18 Product Groups	A legal basis was established via communiqués.

Reaching 192 with these updates, the number of active surveillance communiqués has increased from a previous total of 184. Companies intending to import products with unit prices below the designated surveillance value must verify procedures for obtaining a “Surveillance Certificate” from the General Directorate of Imports through official channels. The impact of such documentation processes on the registration of declarations subject to the release for free circulation regime should be assessed in light of current legislation.

Safeguard Measure Imposed on PET Resin Imports

Standing as one of the most fundamental intermediate goods in the plastics and packaging industries, PET resin ranks among the product categories experiencing the most intense global price competition. The Ministry of Trade concluded its assessment of domestic manufacturers’ complaints regarding “serious injury resulting from increased imports” within the framework of both national and international safeguard legislation.

Additional Financial Liability of $120 per Ton

Through Presidential Decree No. 11509, the safeguard measure on PET resin imports has been formalized. Following comprehensive investigations, authorities mandated the collection of an additional financial liability of $120 per ton on import transactions. This resolution aims to neutralize the destructive impact of dumped imports on domestic industry. Concurrently, the published communiqués announced the initiation of new investigations requesting the extension of existing safeguard measures on wire rod imports, which affect the iron and steel sector, and PET chip imports, which similarly concern the plastics industry.

Repercussions for Industrialists and Importers

Such import safeguard measures generate a dual effect within the market. On one hand, unfair competition is eliminated for petrochemical facilities operating in the domestic market, thereby facilitating higher capacity utilization rates. On the other hand, industrialists utilizing this raw material in sectors like packaging, textiles, and beverages face the probability of increased input costs. Bearing in mind that this additional financial liability of $120 per ton will also inflate the value-added tax (VAT) base, customs brokers and foreign trade operation specialists must revise their total customs duty and supplementary liability calculations. To compensate for this cost escalation, corporate supply chain managers are actively deliberating strategies to leverage export incentives by pivoting toward customs frameworks such as the inward processing regime (IPR).

Potential Impacts on Customs and Foreign Trade Operations

Decrees published in the Official Gazette dated July 11, 2026, profoundly influence not only macroeconomic statistics but also the daily operations conducted at ports, bonded warehouses, and border crossings. On-the-ground repercussions of these legislative changes dictate a series of procedural adaptations, ranging from document management to tax remittances.

Customs Declarations and Certification Procedures

Ensuring the accuracy and currency of documents used in import procedures remains vital to avoiding penal sanctions. For the 8 product groups newly added to the surveillance list and the 10 groups with updated scopes, importers must complete their surveillance certificate applications electronically prior to registering their declarations. Furthermore, the submission of substantiating paperwork in compliance with rules of origin—such as the Certificate of Origin or A.TR Movement Certificate, which grant exemptions from imposed additional customs duties and safeguard measures—has become more critical than ever. In fact, customs administrations are tightening document verifications to inspect for any origin diversion in product groups where supplementary financial liabilities arise.

Effective Dates and Transitional Provisions

As a general rule in Turkish customs law, statutes, decrees, and communiqués enter into force either on the day of their publication in the Official Gazette or on a future date explicitly specified within the text. The vast majority of the July 11, 2026 amendments took effect on their publication date. However, to prevent undue hardship for trade professionals, short-term transitional (exemption) provisions may apply in certain scenarios for goods that have already been presented to customs, had a summary declaration filed, or departed under an issued transport document. Companies engaged in logistics and warehouse planning can minimize future post-clearance audit risks by structuring their transit processes and bonded warehouse declarations with these new tax burdens in mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the additional financial liability on PET resin enter into force?

Designated at $120 per ton pursuant to the relevant Presidential Decree, the safeguard measure attained legal validity and took effect upon publication in the Official Gazette on the decree date of July 11, 2026. Importers are mandated to remit this amount to customs teller desks or corresponding banks during any registration procedures conducted from this date onward.

Do the import regime changes affect existing declarations?

Governed by customs legislation practices, declaration procedures strictly adhere to current statutory provisions. In this context, the tax rates and surveillance conditions applicable to declarations registered prior to the amendments, and whose customs procedures are ongoing, are determined according to the respective customs rules. For declarations of release for free circulation registered subsequent to the new regulations, applicable rates, supplementary financial liabilities, and surveillance certificate requirements must be corroborated through official sources.

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Ultimately, the foreign trade legislation decrees published on July 11, 2026, indicate that Turkey has concentrated its protectionist reflexes within the import regime onto specific industrial raw materials and intermediate goods. Rapid integration by customs brokerages and foreign trade departments into the revised surveillance communiqués and safeguard measures remains the most critical factor in preventing potential cost escalations and time losses across the supply chain.

This content is intended for general informational purposes; it does not substitute for customs brokerage or legal advisory services.