Turkey has updated various aspects of the TURQUALITY® reimbursement scheme, which provides state support for companies promoting Turkish products abroad. Changes remove the time limit for companies to open franchised stores, as well as the ability to request support be extended to cover new target markets.
Communiqué Number 2018/3 Amending Communiqué Number 2006/4 (“Amendment Communiqué”) was published in Official Gazette number 30335 on 17 February 2018, entering into force on the same date. The Amendment Communiqué makes changes to the Communiqué on Branding Turkish Products Abroad, Creating the Image of Turkish Goods and Supporting TURQUALITY®.
Notable changes under the Amendment Communiqué include:
- Previously, companies receiving support for products, which bear the TURQUALITY® certificated trademark could receive the reimbursement only for franchised stores that were opened within a five-year support period. However, the five-year limitation has now been removed.
- Development Road Maps outline the key criteria, qualifications and thresholds for entities which wish to receive state support. If the Ministry of Economy has approved a company’s Development Road Map, the company can no longer ask to extend this to introduce new target markets within the support’s scope. Any unauthorized use of the TURQUALITY® trademark will now be governed by Turkish Industrial Property Law number 6769, rather than the Trademark Decree Law (repealed on 10 January 2017).
- The TURQUALITY® Committee will be shut down and no alternative has been announced. Previously, the body would determine the supported companies and certificated trademarks.
Please see this link for full text of the Amendment Communiqué (only available in Turkish).
