G/TBT/N/TUR/137  
 
3 December 2018  
(18-7611) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member: TURKEY   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Turkey -TBT Enquiry Point  
Ministry of Trade, DG of Product Safety and Inspection,  
Sogutozu Mahallesi, 2176. Sk. No:63, 06510 Cankaya/Ankara  
Telephone: +90 312 204 89 93  
Fax: +90 312 212 68 64  
E-mail: tbt@ticaret.gov.tr   
Website: http://www.teknikengel.gov.tr  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN  where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Tobacco 
products and manufactured tobacco substitutes (HS 24)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Law No: 715 1 
"Amendments to Certain Health Related Laws and Decrees Having the Force of Law " 
(9 page(s), in Turkish)   
6. Description of content: The Law No. 7151 "Amendments to Certain Health Related Laws 
and Decrees Having the Force of Law ", among others, also amen ds Law No. 4207 "Law on 
the Prevention and Control of the Harmful Effects of Tobacco Products " in line with the plain 
packaging requirements.  
In this context, Article 24 stipulates that the requirement in relation to the minimum 
percentage of the surface to be covered with pictorial warnings and text warnings regarding 
the harmful effects of tobacco products to be placed on each of the two largest surfaces of 
the packages, was increased from sixty -five percent to eighty -five percent.   
Moreover, in accordan ce with the amendments foreseen in Article 24, tobacco products 
produced in Turkey or imported to Turkey shall be introduced to the market in the form of 
plain and standard package format, designed as one type including the way in which the 
brand is writte n, the font and the size of the brand, its position on the package, the color 
of packages, other texts, signs and figures. The brand shall also be written only on one 
surface of the package, and not exceeding five percent of this surface. The logo, symbol,  
or other marks of the brand cannot be placed on the packages. These rules shall also apply 
to tobacco products boxes that contain more than one package.  G/TBT/N/TUR/137  
 
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  In accordance with Article 24, it is the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry that is responsible 
for the preparation and, following the approval of the Ministry of Health, the subsequent 
placement into effect a bylaw, through which the warning messages, illustrations, figures 
or graphic messages mentioned in this Law, including matters related to the plai n and 
standard packages designed as one type (as to incorporate the way the brand is written on 
the package, its font and size, its position on the package, the color of the packages, the 
warning messages on the package, other mandatory texts, signs and fi gures) are regulated. 
The said by -law shall be issued within one month from the date of entry into force of this 
Law. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Protection of human health or safety  
8. Relevant d ocuments:  Law No. 4207 "Law on the Prevention and Control of the Harmful 
Effects of Tobacco Products "  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  The Law was accepted at the Plenary of the Grand National 
Assembly of Turkey on 15 November 2018. It will be published in the Official Gazette 
upon confirmation of the Presidency.   
Proposed date of entry into force:  The Law will enter into force at the date of adoption. 
Upon the entry into force of the Law, a transitional period of seven month will be provided. 
This period ma y be extended by six months.  
10. Final date for comments: The comments received from member countries will be taken 
into consideration in the process of the preparation of the by -law to be enacted within 
one month from the entry into force of Law No. 7151  "Amendments to Certain Health 
Related Laws and Decrees Having the Force of Law ". 
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:   
The amendments foreseen, related to plain packaging requirement, in scope of the Law 
are provided in the attached document in English.  
https://members.wto.org /crnattachments/2018/TBT/TUR/18_6177_00_e.pdf