. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/LIC/Q/TUR/6 
29 April 2010 
 (10-2319) 
Committee on Import Licensing Original:   English 
  
 
IMPORT LICENSING REGIME FOR ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES 
 
Responses by Turkey to the questions by the United States
 
   
 The following communication, dated 23 April 2010,  is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Turkey.  
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Responses to the questions in G/LIC/Q/TUR/5 
 Question
:  It is our understanding that prior to impor ting distilled spirits; importers must first obtain 
a “Control Certificate" from the Ministry of Ag riculture and Rural Affairs (MARA). The application 
form for this certificate must al so be accompanied by a consid erable number of documents.  Can 
Turkey please confirm that such an import requirement exists?  Are there any other import 
procedures that must be met to import distilled spirits?" 
 
Answer :  Health and sanitary controls are applied to di stilled spirits in Turkey during both importation 
and production.  Imports of distille d spirits require a "control certificate" issued by the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) for sanita ry purposes.  In accordance with the national 
legislation.  ( "Communique on Standardization in Foreign Trade Concerning Importation of Products 
Subject To The Inspection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs") 
 
 Along with the necessary application form th e following documents are requested by MARA 
in the issuance of "Control Certificate":  a pro forma invoice or invoice, list of components of the 
product, specification/features document, a health  certificate, a certificate of analysis, products 
label/label draft.   MARA reserves the right to proceed for furthe r inspection and lab analysis on samples of 
distilled spirits and alcoholic beverages during im portation on the grounds of safety and health 
considerations. 
  All these inspections are carried out only fo r the sole purposes of ensuring food safety and 
protection of human health and life in accordance wi th the provisions of SPS Agreement.  Importation 
of product is allowed, unless the results of inspectio ns/lab analysis do contradict with the information 
declared through documents submitted for the issuance of  control certificates in line with the relevant 
legislation.  G/LIC/Q/TUR/6 
Page 2  
 
  Question
:  Are domestic producers also required to obta in the same Control Certificate from MARA?  
 
Answer  
 1. Domestic producers of distilled spirits have to obtain a "production permit" from MARA  
according to the article 4 of the "Law On Adoption Of The Amended Decree Law On The Production, 
Consumption And Inspection Of Food" numbered 5179.  The law states that enterprises producing 
foodstuffs, food substances and f ood contact materials are asked to obtain a "food business working 
permit" indicating the compliance with the minimum technical and hygienic requirements and "a registry number" as articulated in the Regulation of MARA. 
2. Domestic producers have to prove that thei r production methods fully meet the food safety 
conditions to get "production permit". 
3. In this regard, no distinction is made betw een domestically produced and imported goods as 
to the requirement of meeting sanitary conditions  in food production and importation of food . 
 That is to say, the products in question are subject to the same procedures during importation 
and domestic production.  
 
Question
:  Based on our initial review of the requirement, it appears that this procedure should be 
notified to the Committee on Import Licensing.  Does Turkey intend to notify this procedure to the 
Committee on Import Licensing Procedures?   
 
Question :  We kindly request that Turkey could provide responses to each question contained in the 
Questionnaire on Import Licensing specifically for the procedures for distilled spirits.  
 
Answer :  We do not think that the questions 3 and 4 do qualify for the subject matter.  As explained in 
the first two answers above, the measure under consid eration is not an Import Licensing requirement.  
 
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