Export document

Turkish import control

Turkey requires control certificates for many food and agricultural imports, issued before the goods arrive. It is in a customs union with the EU for industrial products, which does not extend to agriculture, so the two categories behave differently.

The essentials.

Control certificates before arrival
Many food and agricultural imports require a certificate obtained in advance. It cannot be arranged retrospectively.1
Customs union for industrial goods
The EU customs union covers industrial products and not agriculture, which changes the duty position depending on what you ship.1
Turkish labelling
Consumer products carry national labelling requirements in Turkish, settled before production.
A manufacturing economy
Substantial demand is industrial input for domestic manufacturing rather than retail-ready product.

Who asks for it.

Only these markets require it. Shipping the same goods anywhere else, the question does not arise.

What it does not cover.

  • The customs union does not cover food

    Assuming the EU arrangement covers agricultural goods is a common and expensive mistake.

  • Certificates cannot be obtained after arrival

    Goods that arrive without the required control certificate are a customs problem rather than a paperwork one.

  • Requirements differ by commodity

    Establish the position for your exact product rather than for its category.

Questions buyers ask.

Does the EU customs union help me?

For industrial goods, yes. For food and agricultural products it does not apply, and they follow Turkey's own regime.

When do I arrange the control certificate?

Before shipment. It is obtained in advance of arrival and it cannot be created once the goods are at the port.

Who applies for it?

The Turkish importer, with documentation supplied by the exporter. Establish who is doing what before production starts.

Sources

  1. 1Import controls on food and agricultural products. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Republic of Türkiye. Checked 3 August 2026.

Need this document for a real shipment?

Tell us the product and the destination port. We come back with the full document set for that route, who issues each one, and how long it takes.

One line is enough to start. The more exact you are, the faster the answer comes back.

What you want back

Add a specification, packaging or a target price

Optional, and the fastest way for us to reply.

We answer within one working day, from Indonesia on UTC+7. Wholesale orders from $10,000 per shipment.