Turkey’s Energy Market Regulatory Authority (“Authority”) has overhauled rules for natural gas certificates and related processes. Changes apply to rules for authorisation certificates, as well as processes for amending, renewing and cancelling certificates.
The Regulation Amending the Natural Gas Market Certification Regulation (“Amendment Regulation”) was published in Official Gazette number 24887 on 22 September 2002. It makes changes to the Natural Gas Market Certification Regulation (“Regulation”).
Notable changes include:
- From July 2018, certified identity cards will be introduced for employees working at companies which hold authorization certificates.
- Authorization certificate applications must now include an undertaking letter stating the applicant’s activities comply with the Regulation.
- If the Authority identifies any deficiency or mistake in an application, it will now contact the applicant and invite a representative to come discuss this. Applicants must submit any missing documents or information within 60 days, otherwise the application will be deemed as invalid.
- The Agency will now refund the application fee if it rejects an application for a production or service certificate.
- Certificate holders which do not obtain a visa, must now cease business activities and will not be able to conclude new contracts with customers.
- Sanctions will apply to certificate holders operating without a visa.
- Production and service certificates will now be valid for two years from the effective date, or from the visa’s commencement date.
- Domestic installation and service lines certificates will now be valid for one year from the effective date, or from the visa’s commencement date.
- Applications to renew production and service certificates must now made between 45 and 180 days before expiry. The Department of Natural Gas Market must respond to applications within 45 days.
- Applications to renew domestic installation and service lines certificates must now be made between 10 and 20 days before expiry. The relevant company must complete its evaluation within 30 days.
- For visa applications, contradictions with the Regulation must be rectified within 30 days of the notification date, or else the application will be deemed invalid and the application fee refunded.
Please see this link for the full text of the Amendment Regulation (only available in Turkish).
