Turkey to increase supervision of retail practices to probe unfair trade, sale of counterfeit goods: Minister

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

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The government will establish a “Retail Council of Turkey” with regulatory and oversight responsibility for the retail trade, the Turkish Customs and Trade Ministry said Oct. 22.      

Cenap Aşçı said the council would investigate unfair trade practices and the sale of counterfeit goods. “The council will be very important for the country.”

Aşçı said the government continued to receive complaints about unwanted telephone calls and messaging.

The Turkish government has received 109,185 complaints regarding unwanted commercial text messages, voice calls and emails since July 15, according to the minister.

The minister said 90 percent of complaints were for unwanted commercial SMSs, 7 percent were for unwanted emails and 3 percent for unwanted voice calls.   

According to the regulation which was introduced on July 15, in order to promote or advertise their products and services by email, SMS and voice calls, companies are required to first obtain permission from consumers.    
Touching upon Turkish trade with neighboring countries such as Iraq and Syria, Aşçı said Turkish exports had been particularly affected by the economic decline in neighboring countries caused by the sharp drop in the price of oil.

“Turkey exported more than $12 billion in goods to Iraq in 2014. This year, it seems unlikely that we will reach that number,” he added.

To improve commercial traffic with Turkey’s neighbors, the minister said the number of border gates would be increased. “Ten of the existing gates have already been upgraded with new technology,” the minister added.

Aşçı also said Turkish and EU officials were working to revise conditions in the Turkey-EU Customs Union, which is a stepping stone to eventual EU membership for Turkey.

Turkey is the only non-EU country which has a customs union agreement with the EU, allowing non-tariff imports and exports in many sectors.