26.10.2025 14:06
The Ministry of Trade has made a new decision under the regulation that restricts the importation of shoes, toys, and leather goods identified as high-risk through postal or express cargo services. Consumers who order these products will be able to exercise their rights to "normal declaration," "return to customs," or "abandonment." No penalties will be imposed on those who have pre-ordered the products.
The newly introduced regulation, which restricts the importation of shoes, toys, and leather goods (bags and suitcases made of real and synthetic leather) identified as high-risk through "simplified customs declaration" via postal or express cargo transportation, allows consumers who order these products to exercise their rights of "normal declaration," "return to customs," or "abandonment."
ENTRY OF 3 PRODUCT GROUPS RESTRICTED
According to information obtained from the Ministry of Trade, inspections and laboratory analyses were conducted on various product groups sold on certain e-commerce platforms by relevant directorates.
As a result of these analyses, a circular published on October 20 restricted the importation of shoes, toys, and leather goods identified as high-risk through simplified customs declaration via postal or express cargo transportation.
It was stated that this regulation was implemented to protect human and public health and to ensure that consumers have access to safe products. It was emphasized that each product must have a technical regulation and that products to be placed on the market must be produced, documented, and equipped with the relevant conformity mark accordingly.
TOYS THAT POSE A DROWNING RISK IDENTIFIED
The products included in the ban consist of items that pose risks both physically and chemically and do not comply with technical regulations.
In this context, significant non-compliance was detected, especially in the aforementioned 3 product groups. Inspections revealed toys that pose a drowning risk due to small parts, those with sharp edges, or those with insufficient physical durability. It was also found that in electric toys, battery compartment covers were not designed safely, and some products had simple but critical safety gaps such as missing screws.
Non-compliance detected in shoe products was also noteworthy. Particularly, in some women's sandals, the lead content was found to be 50 times the legal limit. In leather goods such as bags and wallets, a 75% non-compliance rate was observed. Chemical analyses of these products revealed that the levels of lead and cadmium exceeded the limits.
As a result of these findings, measures were taken regarding these products to protect consumer health and eliminate unfair competition conditions for compliant companies.
IF THE GOODS DO NOT ENTER FREE CIRCULATION ON TIME, THEY WILL BE DISPOSED OF
In this context, if the relevant products were loaded before the date of publication of the circular or entered the Turkish customs territory, they can be declared under simplified customs declaration.
However, if the goods are loaded after the specified date or enter the customs territory, they can be declared normally (detailed declaration) at the request of the buyer and can enter free circulation.
On the other hand, the buyer can initiate return processes by contacting the e-commerce platform and seller from which they made the purchase, request a return to customs, or abandon the goods to customs. If the goods do not enter free circulation within the periods specified in the Customs Law, they will be considered abandoned to customs, and the disposal process of the goods will begin.
No penal sanctions will be imposed on those who ordered products restricted from entering the country in advance from shopping platforms.
PLATFORMS MUST KEEP PRODUCT INFORMATION IN THEIR SYSTEMS
Furthermore, under the relevant regulations, e-commerce platforms are considered "intermediary service providers." Therefore, intermediary service providers are required to keep information regarding the safety of products offered for sale through their platforms in their systems, organize their system interfaces in a way that the required information can be presented in sales announcements, and cooperate with authorized organizations to remove non-compliant content from the listings within 24 hours. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in administrative sanctions.