Specialized Courts in Cases Concerning Decisions of Regulatory Authorities

This regulation indicates that such disputes will be handled not only in terms of jurisdiction but also with a more technical and specialized approach in their assessment.

Scope of the Regulation

Under the decisions, lawsuits filed against board decisions arising from the regulatory and supervisory activities of the authorities listed in Schedule (III) of Law No. 5018 will be heard by designated administrative courts in Ankara.

Accordingly:

• Decisions of the Turkish Data Protection Authority (KVKK), Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK), Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK), and Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NDK) will be heard before the 12th, 14th, and 15th Administrative Courts of Ankara.


• Decisions of the Turkish Competition Authority, Capital Markets Board (SPK), and Public Oversight, Accounting and Auditing Standards Authority (KGK) will be heard before the 10th, 13th, and 25th Administrative Courts of Ankara.

Implementation and Transitional Process

Pursuant to the decisions, cases filed after 1 June 2026 will be handled by these specialized courts. Pending cases will continue to be adjudicated before their current courts. In this respect, the regulation has a prospective effect and does not interfere with ongoing proceedings.

Assessment from a Competition Law Perspective

Concentrating the judicial review of Competition Board decisions in specific courts is particularly important given the technical and economic nature of competition law.

This development is expected to ensure that disputes under Law No. 4054 are subject to more specialized scrutiny and to foster a more consistent body of case law in practice.

Conclusion

This regulation demonstrates a shift toward a more technical and specialized judicial framework in disputes concerning decisions of regulatory authorities.

In this context:

1. Disputes will require more detailed, data-driven analysis.
2. Defense strategies will need to rely on more technical and concrete arguments.
3. The concentration of cases before designated courts may lead to the rapid development of consistent jurisprudential trends.

The new framework also highlights the importance of placing greater emphasis not only on litigation strategies but also on pre-litigation compliance and preparation processes in matters involving regulatory authority decisions.

You may access the relevant decision here.


Aslı Kınsız, Managing Associate