Turkey’s High Planning Council (“Council”) has accepted a Strategy and Action Plan for the Software Sector (“Action Plan”) for 2017-2019. It aims to improve the national software market, increase sector exports and employment, as well as produce products and provide international quality services in the software and IT fields.

The Council’s Decision Numbered 2016/46 was published in Official Gazette number 29939 on 5 January 2017.

The Action Plan outlines four objectives:

  • Improve national consciousness and strengthen infrastructure.
  • Establish legal and administrative regulations.
  • Improve qualified human resources.
  • Improve international competitiveness.

Specific actions to move achieve the Action Plan’s objectives include:

  • TUBITAK’s Cyber Security Institution for Informatics and Information Security Advanced Technologies Research Center will be re-structured, to become the Information Security and Cyber Security Institution.
  • A documentation/certification system for information technology companies will be established.
  • New incentives will be introduced under the Public Procurement Law for local software companies in case of public procurement.
  • Changes will be made to the education syllabus to improve experience in computer science and programming culture at early ages.
  • Education will be provided in computer and software sciences for the young and unemployed workforce.
  • National software development competitions will be held.

Please see these links for the full text of the Decision and Action Plan (only available in Turkish).