PART ONE
GENERAL PROVISIONS SECTION ONE Objectives, Scope, Legal Basis, Abbreviations and Definitions Objective Scope a) points related to the governing and management of free zones, Within this context, Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade (UFT) may issue circulars/directives with the purpose of ensuring that provisions of the present Regulation are applied in practice. Legal Basis Abbreviations and Definitions a) The Ministry: The Ministry to which Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade is affiliated. PART TWO Principles Concerning the Establishment, Functions, Powers and Operation of the Zone Directorate. Boundaries Of The Zone Maritime areas in wharves and other places allocated by the Port Authority and/or Port Management Directorate for ships and other marine vessels carrying goods into and out of a zone using the docks or by way of lash and limbo by sea. As well as the route used for the transport of goods between such places and the zone in either direction, are regarded as part of the free zone in terms of customs procedures, provided that these areas are under the supervision of the Customs Authority. Infrastructural Facilities If a free zone is established within the boundaries of a public port, airport or other facility, processes and procedures for the provision of infrastructures must be performed by the Directorate General and all necessary structures and facilities made available with due regard for any necessary coordination with and for the consent of all concerned organizations and institutions. If a free zone is established and operated by a ZFO within the framework of an Establishment and Operation Contract concluded with UFT, the ZFO is obliged to complete within the specified period all construction work on functional units and on all covered areas necessary for conduct of activities inside the area allocated to the zone, and to provide all necessary infrastructure and construction necessary to link in-zone and off-zone infrastructures. The ZFO is also responsible for the promotion of the Zone within the country and abroad, for the leasing of the workplaces to entrepreneurs, for the sale of land on request, provided that the zone is established on private land, and for equipping open areas for sale with infrastructure until payment for the land is made, for supervising the construction of user buildings and for the carrying out other procedures related to the establishment and operation of the zone. Superstructural Facilities Buildings and other facilities in the zone can either be constructed by the Operator or the ZFO, or by the users. These buildings and facilities can be rented or transferred to other users, or can be sold if the property is owned by the ZFO or the users. All approvals and supervisory work during the construction period are performed by the Zone Directorate. Zone Directorate may delegate its responsibilities concerning approval and supervisory work to the ZFO. However, construction projects of the facilities with a particular characteristic, are approved by the Directorate General. Users who are found eligible to receive an Operating License conclude a sales or rental contract with the Operator or ZFO. After the approval of the contract by the Zone Directorate, the Directorate General issues an Operating License; thereafter the users can start their investment activities in the Zone. After preparing their projects and fulfilling their superstructure commitments, users, who are going to construct a building or facility, apply to the Zone Directorate for an Occupation Permit. Granting of an Occupation Permit, marks the end of the investment phase and the beginning of the operation phase. The project preparation and construction work should be accomplished within the period specified in the Operating License Application Form. This period is included in the operational phase specified in the Operating License. However, in case where the project and the construction work cannot be completed with an acceptable compulsory condition within the stated period, an additional period of time can be granted according to Article 54. Additional time period cannot be included in the period of Operating License. Users can start their activities (without receiving an occupation permit), in their buildings or in an other rented working place by receiving a temporary occupation permit from the Zone Directorate before the construction of the building or facility is completed on the rented or purchased land. In this case, the operating period deemed to be commenced on the date they have received the temporary occupation permit or rented a covered area. Superstructure that was built upon rental of an open area, can be transferred to another user by the approval of the General Directorate with the condition of not exceeding the time limit of operating license that was granted to the first user. In free zones where the land is owned by the Treasury, the buildings and facilities that were constructed by the Operator, ZFO and users are transferred to the Treasury after the cancellation of the Operating License or by the expiration of the Operating License. In principle these buildings and facilities should be transferred in serviceable condition. In this respect, the Operator/ZFO take necessary precautions together with the Zone Directorate. In free zones where the land is private property, by the expiration of the Operating License of the users who have constructed buildings and facilities on the rented land, a new license can be issued to the name of that user not exceeding the time limit mentioned in the rental contract for the transfer of the superstructure. In case of the expiration of the time limit mentioned in the rental contract, the constructed buildings and facilities are transferred to the ZFO. In case of terminating their activities within the time limit of the Operating License or the cancellation of the Operating License, these users can transfer their right to use of the buildings and facilities to the real or legal persons that will be approved by the General Directorate till the end of the expiration date of their Operating Licenses. Otherwise, buildings and facilities are transferred to the ZFO. In free zones where the land is private property, the users that are operating in a working place where they have constructed on the land they have purchased, can receive a new Operating License upon the expiry of their Operating License. In case of termination of their activities or cancellation of their Operating Licenses, these users with the approval of the General Directorate can sell their land and the buildings and facilities on the land to another real or legal persons. The building and construction principles regarding the superstructure to be built in each Zone are determined by the General Directorate. The projects of the superstructure that are to be built are approved by the General Directorate before the Zone commences its operation Protection of Buildings and Facilities SECTION TWO Fields Of Activity In The Zone Granting Of Operating Licenses After the Application Form for Operating License is completed and submitted by one of the above means and the Operating License Application Fee is deposited to the Special Account with the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, the application is considered as filed. After the evaluation of the application, those who are found eligible to be granted an “Operating License” in order to carry out activities in free zones are notified by letter. In the abovementioned official letter the applicant is granted 30 days in order to make a lease or sales contract. The applicant who makes a lease or sales contract in this given time shall have the contract approved by the Zone Directorate and send a copy to the Directorate General. After the delivery of the contract “Operating License” is issued by the Directorate General. Failure to make the contract within this period results in the loss of the right to an Operating License. The Directorate General may, after evaluating the Application Form for Operating License, reject the application if it is convinced that conditions are not right. Operating License application is evaluated by taking into consideration the request of the applicant, the type of activity to be conducted, the amount or the investment, and other issues relevant for each zone. The term of the Operating License, Operating License Application, the principles and fees for other permits are determined by the Directorate General. Users possessing an Operating License for warehouse activities may store the goods of other users or of real persons or legal entities who are not users once they obtain the approval of their lease contract by the Zone Directorate. Keeping Of Industrial And Commercial Registers With the exception of parts relating to matters such as patents, licenses and know-how, these records of real persons or legal entities operating in the Zone may be inspected at the discretion of the Zone Directorate. Entry Permits And Service Cards Entry Permits are issued by the Zone Directorate. Each permit features the title and seal of the Zone Directorate, the date of issue, a photograph of the bearer, his first name and surname, the address of his workplace and the term of the permit. Special Entry Permits do not state the name of the bearer. These documents are issued in different colors and Special Entry Permits are returned to the officials on exit. The staff of the Zone Directorate and other public agencies or the persons employed by the Operator or ZFO are presented with Service Cards issued by the Zone Directorate, encompassing the same information as contained in the Entry Permit. Such officials must display these cards in order to enter and work in a free zone. Workers hired on a casual basis by an operator, a ZFO and/or users for construction, maintenance and repair works being carried out during the establishment and operation phases are issued Special Entry Permits upon presentation of their identity cards. In this case such special entry permits issued must correspond to the number of workers. When there is a change in the number of workers employed, cards in excess of the number of workers are taken back and canceled, while new cards are issued if the number of cards falls short of the number of employees. Temporary Caesura of Operation and Cancellation of Operating Licenses 1) Not delivering the documents specified by the provisions of the Regulation and documents and information required by the Directorate General and Zone Directorate within a specified period or giving false information, 2) If it is established that a user, his authorized representative or employees have caused damage to the facilities, machinery and equipment of the Zone or to other users in the Zone, in spite of the warning of the Zone Directorate not improving the situation and/or not compensating the damage, 3) If it is established that there has been an act in contravention of the provisions of the rental and/or sales contract with the Operator or ZFO, 4) If it is established that there has been an act in contravention of the written instructions or detriment of the order in the Zone, 5) Not informing of the changes in the Operating License Application Form that were declared and committed. If the above-mentioned conditions were improved by the user in three months period, the Procedure Forms shall be put into operation again by the Zone Directorate. b) In case of the existence of any of the following circumstances, the Operating License is canceled by the General Directorate without any warning; 1) If it is confirmed through a written report of the Zone Directorate that the contradictory actions are still being pursued by the user by the end of the period mentioned in paragraph (a), 2) If it is confirmed through subsequent investigations, examinations and inspections that commitments and declarations stated in the Application Form for Operating License are not fulfilled or are proven false, 3) If it is established that tax evasion has taken place with revenues and earnings accruing from activities outside the Zone being declared as income earned in the Zone by uniting the accounting records and/or if false or misleading documents are presented for this purpose, 4) Except where the existence of a state of generally accepted force majeure, not being engaged in any commercial activity within one year, 5) If it is established that the goods entered in or exit out of the Zone is contrary to the legislation, and if it is established that there exists a deficiency or an excess between the inventories and the current stocks, 6) Except where the existence of a state generally accepted force majeure, not completing the project or construction within the time limit committed in the Application Form, 7) If it is established that there has been an act in contravention of the provisions of laws, regulations, communications and circulars.Possessions of any person attempting to continue his activities in the Zone despite an expiration or cancellation of his Operating License by the reasons mentioned above, are not permitted to enter the Zone. Possessions of such a person located in the Zone are subject to liquidation in accordance with Article 52 of the Regulation. Cancellation Of Entry Permits Special Entry Permits And Service Cards Users are obliged to inform the Zone Directorate on the same day when they dismiss an employee. In such cases, the Entry Permit of the person concerned is canceled by the Zone Directorate. However, if such a person finds a new job in the zone, his/her Entry Permit, provided that it has not expired, is returned after the change has been recorded. Any person whose Entry Permit or Service Card or Special Entry Permit is canceled is expelled from the zone by the police and customs officers and Customs regulations apply to any goods subject to customs duty found on his person, while his possessions in the Zone are subject to the provisions of Article 52 of the Regulation. SECTION THREE Security Users are also obliged to employ a sufficient number of security guards and to keep the Zone Directorate informed about the employment of at least one such security guard. Working Conditions Principles governing minimum wage and payment of overtime in workplaces within the territory of Turkey also apply to the workplaces of the ZFO or the Operator and of users in a zone. Labor Contracts concluded between employers and employees in the zone are to be made in three copies, one of which is submitted to the Zone Directorate. Principles for the manner and procedures by which this article is enforced are given in directives/circulars issued by the Directorate General. Work Permits For Foreigners The application is made by completing and signing the printed forms prepared for obtaining a Work Permit and their attachments. The application is assessed by the Directorate General in coordination with relevant authorities and a Work Permit is granted if the application is found appropriate. Users are jointly responsible for the actions and behavior of their employees within the zone and for any harm that they may inflict on third parties or to the zone during the course of their work. Residence Permit/Night Work Permit Residence/Night Work Permits are canceled by the Zone Directorate with immediate effect in the event of the cancellation of corresponding Operating License, Entry Permit or Service Card. Arrangements concerning the issue of residence permits for reasons other than those mentioned above may only be made by the Ministry to which UFT is subordinated. Working Hours And Control Of Entries And Exits The ZFO, or the Operator is therefore obliged to have the necessary personnel on duty in the zone outside official hours of business upon the request of the Zone Directorate. The Zone Directorate takes all necessary measures in connection with the determination and announcement of the official hours of work. Persons seeking entry at the gates of a zone must be able to present an Entry Permit, a Service Card or a Special Entry Permit upon request by customs and security officers. Anyone unable to present one of these documents is denied entry to the Zone. In order to prevent goods from entering or leaving the zone without customs formalities, vehicles and persons may be searched at the gates of the zone by the customs officers if necessary. Workplaces and vehicles of the users may also be searched upon request by the Zone Directorate. Social Security And Social Welfare Principles Competent Authority For Communal Services In The Zone The Zone Directorate keeps a watch on these services to ensure that they are provided in a proper and satisfactory manner and issues written cautionary instructions. Keeping Books And Records The Operator or the ZFO and users are obliged to use the special invoices specified by the Directorate General. The Operator or ZFO and users may use their own invoices and commercial books after having them approved by the Zone Directorate prior to the beginning of the accounting year. SECTION FOUR The Operating Or Establishment And Operating Contracts With The Operator Or ZFO In the first case described above, the contract is named the Operation Contract and the company authorized is the Zone Operator, whereas in the second case the contract is labeled the Establishment and Operation Contract and the company is the ZFO. The contracts determining the way in which the Operator or the ZFO is to operate state the financial and administrative obligations of the companies as specified in the Regulation as well as principles for their management and supervision. Financial, Administrative And Service Obligations Of The Operator Or The ZFO a) If the land delineated as the Free Zone is in the ownership of the Treasury or a public institution and is allocated to the Operator by UFT through by means of an Operation Contract, obligations of the Operator are specified in the contract. b) The ZFO may not seek payment of construction costs or rent for buildings which it builds for the use of the Zone Directorate, the Security and Customs Administrations and other institutions that may be necessary. However where the Zone is established on land owned by the Treasury or by a public institution, the ZFO is not obliged to pay rent for the land required for infrastructure, entry-exit gates and roads, internal roads, green areas, areas occupied by the buildings and facilities used by the Zone Directorate, Security and Customs units and other administrative bodies or for the land required for the distribution of infrastructural services such as electricity, water and natural gas. c) The Operator or the ZFO is responsible for maintenance and repair work arising from the destruction or deterioration of the infrastructural facilities in the zone the management of which is entrusted to it through an Operation or Establishment and Operation Contract. d) The Operator or the ZFO is obliged to fulfill the functions specified in the present Regulation as well as to carry out other works and services envisaged by the Operation or Establishment and Operation Contract that it has signed with UFT. Powers And Functions Of The Operator Or The ZFO a) To operate the zone in accordance with the provisions of the Operation or Establishment and Operation Contract signed with UFT. Where it is specified in the Contract that the public sector does not provide the infrastructure, to construct infrastructural facilities in the zone and to lease and/or sell construction areas in conformity with the parcellation plan to a sufficient number of users, b) Within the framework of the principles of the Operation or Establishment and Operation Contract, to receive the applications of users concerning their activities, to draw up with the users rent contracts for the operation of depots, warehouses, sheds and bonded warehouses and service contracts to provide or arrange for the provision under its supervision, of shipping port and other services that users may require in the zone, and to finalize rent contracts that have not been rejected within three working days by the Zone Directorate, to whom a copy of each draft contract is sent, to inform the applicant in the case of rejection by the Zone Directorate and to collect advance fees, rents and deposits in accordance with the contracts signed. c) To include in the contracts drawn up with the users provisions to ensure that users take safety and hygienic precautions in the areas they have rented and elsewhere, to prevent any changes being made without permission, to prevent any contravention of the working practices and conditions stipulated by the Free Zone Legislation and by circulars/directives taking place in depots, warehouses, sheds and bonded warehouses and hence carefully to safeguard order in the zone. d) To obtain the information and documents that users are required to supply to the Zone Directorate, the Port, Airport, Customs and Security Authorities and other public institutions, e) To take the necessary measures for the uninterrupted supply of electricity, water, gas, fuel and communication services and to coordinate with relevant public and private organizations to making arrangements for the collection of charges and their payment to the appropriate bodies. f) To insure all buildings and facilities leased in the zone against fire, and to coordinate as necessary with the local public institutions to ensure the availability of fire prevention and water pumping equipment and an adequate number of fire fighting vehicles and tools to enforce general safety measures and to establish the first aid and life-saving services required in the case of injury in industrial and other accidents or of sudden illness. g) To identify any person responsible for damages to the infrastructure or to other property in the zone and to ensure that such damage is fully compensated for. h) To meet the demand for the transportation of goods and people in the zone, to construct the planned parks and green areas and ensure their maintenance and preservation, to organize places for public use such as restaurants, cafeterias, kiosks etc. and to operate them or arrange for their operation by third parties and to solve all cleaning and general hygiene problems of the area. Relations With Users The Free Zone Procedure Form is in the force of a service contract specifying the work relationship between the User and the Operator or the ZFO This contract comes into effect when the form is signed by the officials of the Operator or the ZFO and a copy is returned to the user. Subject to a charge, users may request that the Operator or the ZFO provide services such as the loading, unloading, transport and storage of goods which are in the zone or entering or leaving the zone. Where the Operator or the ZFO is unable to supply the machinery and equipment that users require for their activities, the latter may acquire them from other users operating in the zone subject to the permission of the Zone Directorate and the coordination of the Operator or the ZFO The Operator or the ZFO may not seek any charge for such services other than the fee for the coordination services that s/he provides. Where the Free Zone Procedures Form of a user involves a request for a service which must be performed by a private sector agency, the user, after acquiring preliminary permission from the Zone Directorate, pays the service charge to the Operator or the ZFO and submits one of the two copies of the receipt to the officials of the Operator or the ZFO for attachment to the copy of the Free Zone Procedure Form which is available at the Zone Directorate. Tariffs and conditions pertaining to services performed by the Operator or the ZFO are determined by the Directorate General. SECTION FIVE Customs Duty Exemptions Export and import transactions from a zone to Turkey made under the Legislation on the Promotion of Exports are subject to the provisions of the current Directive on the Promotion of Exports. Tax Exemptions And Other Incentives Earnings and revenues of real persons or legal entities resident in Turkey who are wholly or partially liable for taxation which arise from their activities in the zone are exempt from income and corporation tax on the condition that they are documented in accordance with the foreign exchange legislation and that they are transferred to Turkey. The Operator or the ZFO and users may benefit from the incentives determined by the Council of Ministers, during the investment and production phases. No real person or legal entity without an Operation License is entitled to the incentives applicable in the Free Zones. PART THREE Exported Goods A fee is charged in accordance with article 41/b (2) on goods that are exported from Turkey to the zone and returned to Turkey within the period determined by the foreign trade regime. Goods of Turkish origin costing under $500 per shipment brought into the zone by the Zone Directorate, or by the Operator/ZFO or a user with the permission of the Zone Directorate, may be exempted from export procedures upon request. For goods exported from the zone, Certificates of Origin, A.TR. Movement Certificate and EUR.1 Certificates may be issued by local Chambers, on the basis of an official letter of the Zone Directorate without any conditions as regards membership of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry having to be met, in accordance with the provisions of Customs Laws and related Customs Regulations, the EEC Regulation on Movement Certificates published in the Official Gazette Nr. 16515 dated 10.1.1979 and the EUR.1 Regulation on Movement Certificates published in the second edition of the Official Gazette Nr. 21235 of 22.5.1992, respectively. The Customs Administration in a zone endorses A.TR Movement Certificates and EUR.1. Certificates submitted to it and grants visas after checking the goods registered in these. Following points apply to matters related to the origin of goods in a zone and the issue of A.TR Movement Certificates and EUR.1 Certificates: In accordance with Article 15 of the Customs Law, although they are within the political territory of Turkey, the Free Zones are considered to be outside the customs boundaries in terms of tax obligations. Goods produced in a zone are classified as Products of Turkish origin with respect to the country of origin criteria given in the Customs Law, namely the completely produced product condition, which describes products obtained in Turkey, and the sufficient transformation condition, which refers to those products the inputs of which are of foreign or unknown origin but which merit being treated as goods of Turkish origin due to the significance of processes and modifications which they have undergone in Turkey. Under Article 2 of the Additional Protocol which lays down conditions, procedures, orders and time limits for the Transitional Stage referred to in Article 4 of the Ankara Agreement establishing an Association between Turkey and the European Economic Community, goods of third country origin, for which import procedures are completed, taxes or charges with equivalent effect to customs duty are paid, such that no full or partial repayment of taxes and charges is effected, are deemed to be in free circulation. A.TR. Movement Certificates issued for such goods which are kept in a zone in raw, semi-processed and processed form or which acquire a national character through being re-processed and becoming part of a new product in a zone are granted visas by the Free Zones Customs Administrations irrespective of any changes occurring in their Customs Tariff position numbers. In conformity with Article 3 of the Additional Protocol, A.TR. Movement Certificates may be issued for goods obtained in Turkey or in the Community which incorporate items of third country origin not in free circulation, in Turkey or in the Community subject to the collection by the Free Zone Customs Administration in the exporting country, Turkey, in accordance with decisions number 2/72 and 3/72 of the Association Council, of the Compensatory Levy on such third country origin goods, envisaged in the Common Customs Tariff. A.TR, Movement Certificates for goods in question are granted visas by the Free Zone Customs Administration. Certificates of Origin and EUR.1 Certificates are issued for goods acquiring Turkish origin through the fulfillment in Free Zones in Turkey of the requirements specified by the provisions of the Additional Protocol B of the Agreement concluded between Turkey and the EFTA States. The EUR.1 certificates are granted visas by the Free Zone Customs Administration. |