Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The Award Ceremony for Taxation Period 2012 organized by İzmir Chamber of Commerce and İzmir Tax Office was held at İzmir Economy University with the participation of M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of TOBB, and Hayati Yazıcı, Minister of Customs and Trade.  The ceremony was also honored by Cahit Kıraç, Governor of İzmir, Ziya Altunyıldız, Undersecretary of Customs and Commerce, and presidents, executives, members of the chambers and commodity exchanges of the region as well as deputies, bureaucrats and several businessmen.


-“Protect and look after the Turkish private sector"

At the beginning of speech, M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of TOBB, said it was his 46th visit to İzmir as the President of TOBB, and emphasized the importance of the city.  Referring to the fact that FIFA and UEFA instructed all referees to protect technically skilled footballers like Ronaldo and Messi who beatified football,  Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Turkish private sector are like Ronaldo and Messi for Turkey.  For that reason, protect and look after the Turkish private sector at every opportunity.”

M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of TOBB, who thanked Hayati Yazıcı, Minister of Customs and Trade, for his support for the Turkish private sector, said "Mr. Minister is fast, quick, and solution-oriented.  Although he sits on the other side of the table, he endeavors to solve our problems."


-Authorized economic operator

Addressing the authorized economic operator system, Hisarcıklıoğlu announced that the project would provide great support to exporters.  Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “There is no waiting at the customs any longer. There is no bureaucracy.  From now on, everybody will send his own form from the internet, and transport his goods.  In this authorized economic operator system, all corporations that are engaged in export shall check-in at their own workplace and send their goods, in the same way as we take a flight card before embarking on a plane.   In other words, the waiting times in export process will be shortened."

Reminding that, as TOBB, they were modernizing the land customs gates, Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “This modernization has halved the waiting time.  As a result, the Turkish private sector has saved TL 410 million.   These savings are the result of this operation performed by our Honorable Minister with TOBB.  Our Honorable Minister has great contribution to this ground-breaking study.  We should appreciate a work that has been conducted properly.”

Addressing also the benefits of the NACE system during his speech, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We had not the possibility to make an inventory of commerce and industry until recently.  With this NACE, we will be able to make an inventory of industry and commerce.  It will bring several benefits in the demand matching, incentives, and other areas.  Everybody has filled in his own area of activity.  Everybody has been asked to confirm their entries.  Objections have been evaluated, and lists created."

- The contribution of chambers to the private sector

Talking about also the contributions of the chambers to the Turkish private sector, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We said we would undertake a great burden if the new Turkish Commercial Code were codified in its existing form.  We took your studies to the government.  We held a 30-hour meeting.  Our government took our proposal before the Parliament, and amendments were made with the support of all political parties.  These amendments helped us save 6 billion liras.  Otherwise, we would pay this sum.  Some people ask what do chambers do? They must know this.  It is thanks to the chambers that we have been relieved of the burden, which we would otherwise bear.   Most importantly, 18 imprisonment punishments have been revoked."

-“We will not any longer aim and shoot at foggy weather”

Stating that they signed a protocol of a very useful work in Istanbul in the morning, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, "We use postdated cheques.  This is something specific to Turkey.  We had no protection in terms of cheques.  With the protocol that we have signed today, the procedure will be as follows:  From now on, after you sign an agreement via our chambers, you will see the background of the persons who asks for goods on a deferred payment basis, and see how much of his cheques were dishonored, and how much of his credit card debt he pays. You will see all of them.   I mean, we will not any longer aim and shoot at foggy weather.” Pointing out that everybody who signs a contract would see such things thanks to this application, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Therefore, a postdated cheque will also have a credit.  The volume of trade of goods via cheques exceeds 2 trillion liras.  For that reason, this is important.”

-İzmir has 5-star chambers

Reminding that all 3 chambers in İzmir were accredited chambers, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that accreditation meant a 5-star room, i.e. the standard of the service rendered by the chambers in İzmir was equivalent to that of a chamber of commerce in Paris or London. 

Hisarcıklıoğlu said he was given a tie which was produced by İzmir Economy University, Fine Arts School, as a present, and he immediately wore it, and that he was very happy for that. 

Saying that they would build a 16-classroom student residence, a gymnasium, and a school of advanced vocational studies in İzmir, Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized the importance they accorded to education.  

Pointing out that there were 73 İzmir companies with the top 1000, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “This must be 100.  I hope the number of companies with the top one thousand climbs to 1000 in 9 years."

- Hayati Yazıcı, Minister of Customs and Trade

In his speech during the award ceremony, Hayati Yazıcı, Minister of Customs and Trade, said Turkish economy attracted investor attention as a “safe harbor” in the global environment. 

Stating that as the Ministry their target was to make Turkey the country where you can trade most simply and safely Yazıcı emphasized that they covered a long distance in export declaration forms thanks to the innovations they had realized under such a vision.   

Saying that the processing of 75 percent of the declarations were completed in 1 minute, Yazıcı said,   “The “Authorized Economic Operator Application" which we have introduced in İzmir today is one of the newest applications in the world in customs services.  The authorized economic operator application eliminates 90 percent of the average cost of 954 liras which companies incur for customs clearance procedures.  Therefore, tradesmen save 861 liras per shipment in average terms.  Import and export transactions are performed electronically anywhere in Turkey. 

Our target as regards the customs offices is to make Turkey the country where you can trade most simply and most safely.” 

-'We achieved a transformation in economy'

Stating that they realized a dramatic transformation in Turkish economy in the last 10 years, Yazıcı said the public sector’s weight in economy was reduced and they cleared the way for the private sector during that period. 
 
Yazıcı said while drafting the regulations, they trusted Turkey’s potential, and emphasized that they would continue introducing policies that would encourage the private sector and clear the way for the entrepreneurs.  

-'8 billion dollars have been invested in İzmir

Pointing out that the government invested more than 8 billion liras in İzmir in the last ten years, Yazıcı stated that the government worked hard in cooperation with the local administrations and the non-governmental organizations to organize EXPO 2020 in İzmir. 

Mentioning of the fact that they tried to bring EXPO 2020 to Izmir Yazıcı said, “EXPO 2020 project is not only the project of İzmir, but of all the West Anatolia and the entire Turkey.  The biggest driving force that will bring EXPO to İzmir is "35 Projects for İzmir 35’”(35 refers to the city’s traffic code), 14 of which have been put into practice.  The fast train connection between metropolises and İzmir will be completed by 2020.  Big projects such as İstanbul – İzmir motorway and Çandarlı Port will have been completed.   Until the organization of EXPO in İzmir, the transportation problem of İzmir will have been solved, and İzmir will be a world city.” 

After the speeches, plates were offered to one thousand 423 members that were awarded golden, silver and bronze medals, certificates of appreciation and special awards during “2011 Taxation Period".  

-Ekrem Demirtaş, President of İzmir Chamber of Commerce

Ekrem Demirtaş, President of İzmir Chamber of Commerce also made a speech in which he thanked to the Minister Yazıcı and said Hayati Yazıcı had great contribution to the Turkish Commercial Code which had a ground-breaking effect in the commercial life.

Informing that 33 billion liras of the 37 billion liras of tax accrued in İzmir in 2012 were collected, Demirtaş said, “İzmir is among the fastest growing cities of the world.   Apart from several investments, EXPO 2020 is also on the agenda of İzmir.  I would like to thank to our government again for its kind support for EXPO"

Emphasizing that the draft law regarding the arrangement of domestic trade closely concerned the members, Ekrem Demirtaş said, “We have been grieved against unfair competition. We want this problem to be solved.  We would like to thank you as you have made it possible to pay income and corporation taxes.  However, the tax burden on workmanship is very high.  This burden must be mitigated in order to prevent unrecorded employment.”

-Selami Özpoyraz, Chairman of the Assembly of İzmir Chamber of Commerce

Selami Özpoyraz, Chairman of the Assembly of İzmir Chamber of Commerce said the country was taking fast steps forward, and added, “The income taxes paid by the world of business are increasing constantly.  We must produce more and make more investments.  The positive developments in economy are the result of our entrepreneurship.  I would like to thank to all the businessmen for their contribution to economy.”