. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/TUR/8 
18 January 2010 
 (10-0203) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  TURKEY
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Products produced through modern bi otechnology including genetically 
modified organisms and products thereof 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft Law on Biosafety  Language:  Turkish  Number of 
pages:  12 
6. Description of content:  This draft law covers provisi ons regarding the research, 
development, processing, placing on the market, mo nitoring, use, import, export, transport, 
carrying, storage, packaging, labelling, wa rehousing and other such activities of the 
products produced through modern biotechnol ogy including genetically modified 
organisms and products thereof. 
The aim of the draft law is  to prevent the risks due to the products produced through 
modern biotechnology including genetically modifi ed organisms and products thereof;  to 
establish and implement biosafety system to ensure the protection of human, animal and plant health and ensuring conservation of environment and biological diversity and its 
sustainability;  and to designate the principl es and procedures for auditing, regulating and 
monitoring those activities within the fra mework of scientific and technological 
developments. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [X] food safety, [X] animal health, [X] plant protection, [ 
] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [ ] protect territory from other 
damage from pests.    
8. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    G/SPS/N/TUR/8 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[X] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [ ] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  This draft law has been prepar ed by taking into consideration 
UN Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and EU Legislation. 
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  -   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined after the comment period. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  After adoption 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [X] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :    
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  24 February 2010 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs  
General Directorate of Protection and Control Akay Cad. No. 3 (06640) Bakanliklar Ankara- Turkey 
Tel:  +(90 312) 425 4390 
Fax:  +(90 312) 419 8325 E-mail/Internet:  sps@kkgm.gov.tr Website:  http://www.kkgm.gov.tr