Communiqué on Import Control of Tobacco and Tobacco Products for 2023 was Published

1/4/2023

The Communiqué on Import Control of Tobacco, Tobacco Products, Alcohol and Alcoholic Beverages (Product Safety and Inspection: 2023/19) (the “Communiqué”) was published in the Official Gazette dated December 31, 2022 and numbered 32060 (4th bis.), as in previous year-ends. The Communiqué was entered into force on January 1, 2023.

By the Communiqué, the Communiqué on Import Control of Tobacco, Tobacco Products, Alcohol, and Alcoholic Beverages (the “Communiqué of Previous Year”) (Product Safety and Inspection: 2022/19) which was published in the Official Gazette dated December 31, 2021 and numbered 31706 (4th bis.) was annulled.

What Does the Communiqué Bring?

With the Communiqué, unlike the Communiqué of Previous Year, "Cigarette filter with a diameter of more than 8 mm" which has harmonized system code (the “HS Code”, “GTİP” in Turkish) 5601.22.90.00.11 was included to the scope of the products subject to conformity certificate in their import. Therefore, as of January 1, 2023, a conformity certificate will be issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (the “MoA”) Directorate of Tobacco and Alcohol for the import of cigarette filter with a diameter of more than 8 mm which bears HS Code 5601.22.90.00.11.

Lastly, all references addressed to the MoA designated in the Communiqué of Previous Year were amended as the MoA Directorate of Tobacco and Alcohol by the Communiqué.

The Communiqué does not have a readily available English version. However, you may access the Turkish version from here.

MORAL | KINIKOĞLU | PAMUKKALE | KÖKENEK
Aslı Pamukkale, Senior Partner
Nur Duygu Bozkurt Kadirhan, Senior Associate
İlayda Sak, Senior Associate
Deniz Yontuk, Associate

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