On the grounds of the Communiqué on Control of Some Consumer Products for Conformity issued on 3 May 2016, it has become compulsory for the products to conform to the standards explained in the communiqué.
Products which are under control and surveillance of the Ministry of Customs and Trade consist of; pacifiers for babies and infants, drinking equipment (feeding bottle etc.), internal blinds (window shades, roller blinds etc.), toothbrushes, electric toothbrushes, two-wheeler bikes for kids, city bikes, stable and foldable cribs, tables, lighters, and swimming equipment.
In case one of the aforementioned products is considered nonconforming to the standards, a certain amount of time is granted for the correction. If not corrected after the period, a penalty between TRY 17,700 and 44,257 is imposed. Market surveillances are conducted by the experts at Provincial Commerce Directorates in accordance with the standards stated below.
1) As part of the annual audit plan determined as a result of the Risk Analysis during the importing process,
2) According to the denouncements and complaints,
3) Rapex
Inspections are made where the products are stored and sold (for example shops, offices, stores, warehouses, haulage vehicles) and where they are manufactured, processed, wrapped up, and assembled, if necessary. PGD Report and Product Reception Tag is regulated during the inspections.
The manufacturer is held responsible if some kind of discrepancy is detected as a result of the inspection. The name and the address of the manufacturer are confirmed during the inspection made at the office of the distributor.
In case the manufacturer is outside Turkey, the authorized representative or the importer is the object of the regulations and bears the same responsibilities.
Sanctions imposed on the products that are determined to be unsafe:
• Ban on sale of the product,
• Recalling the product from the market,
• Partial or full removal of the product depending on the risks it carries, in cases it is impossible to make the product safe,
• Administrative fine (TRY 17,700 – 44,257)
• Broadcasting of an announcement about unsafe products on two national TV channels between 07:00 AM and 10:00 PM, which shall be both read and listened for at least 30 seconds.
• Publishing of an announcement about unsafe products on two national newspapers with a legible font size, covering at least ¼ of a page.
Information that must be included in the announcements:
1) Name, title, and address of the manufacturer,
2) Name, brand, model, type, photograph, serial or lot number of the product or proper identification,
3) The reason for the recall, information on its unsafety and taken measures,
4) Locations where the product can be returned or information on addresses where the product can be sent for repair,
5) Information on the risk it carries, ways to beware the risk or to troubleshoot.
Imposition of Sanctions
1) The decision on banning the sale of the product, recalling, and eliminating is made by the Ministry, and provincial directorates check whether the rule is followed by the manufacturer or not.
2) The administrative fine in case of unsafety is issued by the Ministry, while the fine in case of nonconformity to the technical arrangement is issued by the Governorship.
3) Even though a nonconformity to the technical arrangement is detected in another city, the provincial directorate of the city the manufacturer resides in issues the administrative fine.
4) The decision of restriction of the unsafe product from placing on the market in cases evidence that the product can be harmful exists is made by the provincial directorate upon request of the auditor.