Turkey Customs Update 2026 – Simplified Procedure Clarified for OKSB Holders

Why This Matters for Foreign Exporters / Importers to Türkiye:

Foreign exporters and importers often rely on Turkish counterparties holding OKSB status to benefit from faster and more predictable customs clearance. This amendment directly affects the operational reliability of such arrangements.

The revised wording makes it clear that OKSB status alone is not sufficient. Only companies that actively meet the conditions of Article 42/A and retain the right to benefit from the associated facilitation measures may use the widespread simplified procedure.

For foreign companies, this means that:

Customs facilitation depends on the current and active compliance status of the Turkish OKSB holder,
Simplified procedures cannot be assumed automatically based on certificate ownership, and
Any suspension, restriction, or loss of facilitation rights may immediately affect clearance timelines and logistics planning.

In practice, foreign exporters and importers should treat OKSB-based facilitation as a dynamic compliance condition, not a static entitlement.

Executive Summary

With the publication of the Communiqué Amending the Customs General Communiqué (Customs Procedures) (Serial No: 16) in the Official Gazette dated 6 February 2026 (No. 33160), Türkiye has clarified the conditions under which Authorized Person Status Certificate (OKSB) holders may request the widespread simplified customs procedure.The amendment confirms that simplified procedure requests by OKSB holders will be accepted regardless of the characteristics of the goods, provided that the conditions set out under Article 42/A of the OKSB Communiqué are effectively met.

Scope

The amendment applies to:

Customs General Communiqué (Customs Procedures) (Serial No: 16)
Requests for widespread simplified customs procedures
Companies holding the Authorized Person Status Certificate (OKSB)

What Changed – Technical Clarification

Under the amended provision:

OKSB holders requesting the widespread simplified procedure will have their request accepted without examining whether the goods meet specific characteristics,
Only if they satisfy the conditions set out in Article 42/A(1) of the Communiqué on Authorized Person Status, and
Only if they currently retain the right to benefit from the facilitation measures provided under that article.

Compared to the previous wording, the amendment explicitly links simplified procedure eligibility to the effective fulfilment of Article 42/A conditions, not merely to possession of the OKSB certificate.

Practical Impact on Trade Operations

This clarification affects:

The predictability of simplified customs clearance,
Internal compliance monitoring of OKSB holders,
Contractual assumptions made by foreign exporters regarding clearance speed, and
Post-clearance control and audit exposure.

Foreign exporters working with Turkish OKSB holders should ensure that facilitation rights are continuously valid, especially in time-critical or volume-based trade flows.

Professional Compliance Assessment

From a compliance and risk-management perspective:

OKSB holders must continuously verify that Article 42/A conditions remain satisfied,
Simplified procedure requests should be aligned with the current status of facilitation rights, and
Foreign trade partners should periodically confirm the operational validity of OKSB-based simplifications.

The amendment does not expand rights; it clarifies the boundaries of lawful use of existing facilitation mechanisms.

Entry into Force

The Communiqué will enter into force 30 days after its publication date, following its publication on 6 February 2026.

Türkiye – Amendment to Customs General Communiqué No. 16: Clarification on Simplified Procedure for OKSB Holders