The Communiqué on Import of Certain Electric Vehicles (Import: 2023/22) (“Communiqué“) issued by the Ministry of Commerce, has been published in the Official Gazette dated 29 November 2023 and numbered 32384.
The Communiqué consists of the principles governing the regulation of the import of electric vehicles whose Customs Tariff Statistics Positions (“CTSP”) numbers and good descriptions are provided under the Communiqué and will enter into force on 29 December 2023.
With respect to electric vehicles whose CTSP and good descriptions are respectively as (i) (8703.80.10.00.11: Those with internal combustion engines that do not provide propulsive power), and (8703.80.10.00.19: Others):
- In the event that those that do not originate from the European Union and the countries with which a Free Trade Agreement has been concluded are subject to the Free Movement Entry Regime, the customs authorities will seek the permit certificate issued by the Ministry of Industry and Technology (“Ministry”) or the institution or organization authorized by the Ministry to do so (“Permit Certificate”) for the registration of customs declarations.
In order to be exempt from the Permit Certificate, the goods must be accompanied by an A.TR Circulation Document or a proof of origin document within the scope of the relevant Free Trade Agreement.
The conditions that must be fulfilled cumulatively for the issuance of a Permit Certificate are as follows:
- Certification by the Turkish Standards Institute (“TSI“) that the importer has established at least 20 authorized service stations in 7 geographical regions in accordance with TS 12047 and TSI K 646 standards for after-sales assembly, maintenance, and repair of the goods to be imported,
- Persons in charge of the purchase, sale, maintenance, and repair of electric vehicles must hold a qualification certificate issued by TSI or the Vocational Qualifications Authority exclusively for the purchase, sale, maintenance, and repair of electric vehicles,
- Providing service for each brand to be imported with a Turkish call center established in Türkiye with at least 40 personnel,
- The manufacturer of the goods to be imported must have an authorized representative residing in the country,
- Providing a written commitment that the importer accepts the procedures to be carried out for monitoring, controlling, and inspection of battery systems.
The full text of the Communiqué, which will enter into force on 29 December 2023, can be reached via this link. (Only available in Turkish)
