Safeguard Investigation on Certain Paper and Paperboard Imports – Initiation of Investigation (Communiqué No: 2026/3, Türkiye)

Scope

The investigation covers the following products under the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule (TGTC):

• GTP 4810.29 – Paper and paperboard used for writing, printing or other graphic purposes: Other
• GTP 4810.92 – Other paper and paperboard: Multilayer

These products are examined irrespective of country of origin, in line with safeguard principles.

Initiation and Preliminary Findings

Based on an application submitted by domestic producers, the Ministry conducted a preliminary review and identified:

• A significant increase in imports, both in absolute and relative terms
• Sustained and rising import market share during the period under review
• Deterioration in key economic indicators of the domestic industry, including production, domestic sales, profitability, productivity, capacity utilization rates, and end-period inventories

These findings were deemed sufficient to justify the initiation of a formal safeguard investigation.

Investigation Process

The investigation will be conducted by the Import General Directorate under the framework of the Regulation on Safeguard Measures on Imports.

Interested Parties

• Domestic interested parties must submit questionnaire responses and views via their official KEP (Registered Electronic Mail) addresses to:ticaretbakanligi@hs01.kep.tr
• Foreign interested parties must submit responses and views via email to:korunma@ticaret.gov.tr

Questionnaires and Submissions

• Questionnaires and the non-confidential summary of the application are available on the Ministry’s website under:Imports → Trade Policy Defense Instruments → Safeguard Measures / Investigations
• All submissions must be made within 30 days from the date of publication of the Communiqué.
• All communications and documents must be submitted in Turkish. Submissions in other languages will not be considered.

Confidentiality and Verification

• Confidential information must be accompanied by a non-confidential summary allowing reasonable understanding.
• Failure to provide requested information on time, obstruction of the investigation, or submission of misleading data may result in conclusions being drawn on the basis of facts available.

Duration of the Investigation

• The investigation will be completed within nine months, with a possible extension of up to six additional months if deemed necessary.

Enforcement and Compliance Risk

Importers, exporters, and other stakeholders dealing in the products concerned should closely monitor the investigation. Depending on the findings, safeguard measures such as additional duties, quotas, or tariff-rate quotas may be imposed, which could significantly impact cost structures and supply planning.

Compliance Assessment

From a trade compliance perspective, companies importing paper and paperboard under GTP 4810.29 and 4810.92 should:

• Review historical and ongoing import volumes and pricing
• Prepare accurate and consistent data for questionnaire responses
• Assess contractual and pricing flexibility in case safeguard measures are introduced
• Engage proactively in the investigation process to mitigate potential adverse outcomes

Early preparation and strategic participation are critical to managing both regulatory risk and commercial impact.

Entry into Force

The Communiqué entered into force on the date of its publication, 31 December 2025.

See the legislation document.