The Law Amending the Law on the Regulation of Tobacco, Tobacco Products and Alcohol Market and Certain Laws

The Law Amending the Law on the Regulation of Tobacco, Tobacco Products and Alcohol Market and Certain Laws (Law) entered into force following its publication in the Official Gazette dated 10.12.2022 and numbered 32039. Significant amendments introduced by the Law are summarized below.

• Except for tobacco producers and tobacco production and marketing cooperatives, a guarantee of up to 50 million Turkish Liras can be obtained from those who hold permits, conformity and authorization certificates regarding the production and import activities of tobacco, tobacco products, macarons, leaf cigarette paper, cigarette filters, alcohol and alcoholic beverages and for activities within the scope of tobacco trade authorization certificate in order to ensure the security of public receivables.
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is authorized to determine the procedures and principles regarding the guarantee to be obtained by consulting the Ministry of Treasury and Finance.
• The certificates of those who do not provide the required guarantee shall be suspended until such guarantee is provided.
• Pursuant to the Law, those who prevent the transmission of documents, information or data that must be transmitted to the Ministry of Treasury and Finance electronically through physical or informatics intervention in the system that enables the labeling or marking of products and the transfer of labeled or marked product information to the data center, or those who cause them to be transmitted inaccurately shall be sentenced to imprisonment from three to eight years.