G/TBT/N/TUR/41  
 
6 August 2013  
(13-4199)  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:  Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority  
Name and address (including telephon e 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 :   
Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority  
Directorate General for European Union and Foreign Affairs 
Söðütözü Mah. Söðütözü Cad. No:31 06520 Çankaya/ANKARA Tel.:  +(90 312) 218 03 28 Fax:  +(90 312) 218 04 33 
Website:  http://www.tapdk.gov.tr   
or 
Turkey-TBT Enquiry Point 
Ministry of Economy  
DG of Product Safety and Inspection Inonu Bulv. No:  36 06100 Emek-Ankara / Turkey  
Tel:  +(90 312) 204 80 74 
Fax: +(90 312) 212 68 64 E-mail:  tbt@ekonomi.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):  Alcoholic 
Beverages (HS Codes: 2203; 2204; 2205; 2206; 2208). 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:  Draft 
Communiqué on Warning Messages Placed on Containers of Alcoholic Beverages, (4 pages, 
in Turkish).      
6. Description of content:  With the Law 6487, published at the Official Gazette dated 
11/06/2013 and numbered 28674, some amendments were made to the Law 4250 of the 
spirits and alcoholic beverages Monopoly Act.  
Pursuant to 8th paragraph of Article 2 of the Law nu mbered 6487, except for those which 
are produced for export, written warning messages in Turkish shall be put on the 
containers of alcoholic beverages. These warning messages can also be in the shape of 
picture, figure or graphic. 
Alcoholic beverages without warning messages cannot be supplied and sold. 
 G/TBT/N/TUR/41 
 
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The mentioned Law entered into force on 11 June 2013. According to the Law, secondary 
legislation concerning aforementioned paragraph of Article 2, has to enter into force within 
2 months after the publication of the Law, that is, as of 11 August 2013. 
For this reason, the Communiqué on Warning Messages Placed on Containers of Alcoholic 
Beverages was prepared.  
Mentioned Communiqué regulates the principles of using warning messages to prevent 
alcohol consumption while pregnant and while driving and about the prohibition to sell alcoholic beverages to minors.  
With the Communiqué, one written and three graphic messages have been prepared to be 
used on the container of alcoholic beverages. Also, fonts, font sizes, location of the warnings are stated within the Communiqué taking into account various container sizes.  
According to the Communiqué, one written and 3 graphic messages have to be applied 
on all inner and outer surfaces of the containers of the alcoholic beverages except their 
bottom surfaces. Also these warning messages cannot be hidden, covered or cropped 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  8th paragraph of Article 2 of the Law numbered 6487 obligates the use of 
warning messages on the containers of alcoholic beverages. According to the Law, 
secondary legislation concerning aforementioned paragraph of Article 2, has to enter into 
force within 2 months after the publication of the Law, that is, as of 11 August 2013. 
Therefore, the Communiqué on Warning Messages Placed on Containers of Alcoholic 
Beverages was prepared. 
The objective of this Communiqué is to protect unborn children and minors and to prevent 
driving under the influence of alcohol.  
8. Relevant documents:   Law of the spirits and alcoholic beverages Monopoly Act, Official 
Gazette of the Republic of Turkey, No:4250 dated 08/06/1942 
The Law numbered 6487 Amending Miscellaneous Laws and Decree Law No:375, Official 
Gazette of the Republic of Turkey; no: 28674 dated 11/06/2013   
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    11 August 2013 11 August 2013 - but a ten month 
transitional period for conformity has been provided in the Communiqué for the economic operators  
10. Final date for comments:  9 August 2013 
11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresse s, if available of the other body:    
Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority  
Directorate General for European Union and Foreign Affairs 
Söðütözü Mah. Söðütözü Cad.  No:31 06520 Çankaya/ANKARA 
Tel: +(90 312) 218 03 28 Fax: +(90 312) 218 04 33 
Website:  http://www.tapdk.gov.tr   
The electronic version of the regulatory text can be downloaded at:    
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2013/tbt/TUR/13_3072_00_x.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/tbt/TUR/13_3072_00_e.pdf