2021 CERTIFICATION OF COMPANY BOOKS:

Similar to previous years, as we approach the year-end, we would like to draw your attention to the requirements for the annual certification of company commercial books.

New Framework on Crew Changes During COVID-19:

Government issues new framework on crew changes during COVID-19 in compliance with the IMO’s circular letter No. 4204/Add. 1

GOVERNMENT ALLOWS NEW COVID-19 RELATED APPLICATIONS FOR SHORT-TERM WORKING SUBSIDY :

The Presidential Decree numbered 3238 published in Official Gazette dated 1 December 2020 extended the term for benefiting from softened application requirements until 31 December 2020

DEADLINES FOR THE CENTRALIZED COMMERCIAL MESSAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM EXTENDED AGAIN:

The Ministry of Commerce announced on 30 November 2020 that the deadline for registering the opt-in consents of recipients with IYS is extended yet again.

TERMS OF TERMINATION PROHIBITION AND SHORT-TERM WORKING EXTENDED YET AGAIN:

The Presidential Decrees numbered 3134 and 3135 published in the Official Gazette dated 27 October 2020 extended the terms for termination prohibition, mandatory unpaid leave, and short-term working for two months.

WWL: Hospitality 2020 Ranking :

We are proud to announce that Senior Associate M. Raci Alper has been ranked as the only recommended lawyer in Turkey by the WWL: Hospitality 2020 global guide.

Separate Fines for Customs Brokers: A Change of Policy?:

M. Raci Alper of ErsoyBilgehan has contributed with an article on a recent development concerning customs fines for TT Club’s first publication in Turkish.

ICTA PUBLISHES PROCEDURES AND PRINCIPLES FOR SOCIAL NETWORK PROVIDERS :

The decision of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority introducing the “Procedures and Principles for Social Network Providers” was published in the Official Gazette dated 2 October 2020.

PRESIDENT REDUCES TAX ON FOREIGN CURRENCY PURCHASES FROM 1% BACK TO 0.2% :

With the Presidential Decree numbered 3031 published in the Official Gazette dated 30 September 2020, the BITT rate is now reduced from 1% back to 0.2%, to be effective from the date of publication of the decree.

FINAL WARNING AND TIME EXTENSION FOR DATA CONTROLLERS TO COMPLY WITH REGISTRATION OBLIGATIONS:

Having identified that some of the data controllers have not been able to complete their registration with VERBIS (i.e. the data controllers’ registry) due to Covid-19 related reasons, the Personal Data Protection Board granted a de facto time extension to the data controllers for fulfilling their registration obligations. The decision no. 2020/760 and dated 1 September 2020 on the “extension” was announced on the Board’s website yesterday.