Working with a Turkish supplier follows the same steps as with any overseas machine shop: verify the certificates, agree drawings and a working language, settle payment and delivery terms, and know which documents travel with the parts. Türkiye is in a customs union with the EU for industrial goods, so machined parts enter at 0% customs duty with an A.TR movement certificate, and the contract questions below decide most of the remaining risk.
Is a Turkish supplier a safe choice for a European buyer?
Safety depends on the individual shop, not the country. What is set at country level is the trade framework: Türkiye and the EU form a customs union for industrial goods, and the Commission lists zero customs duties for goods it covers (Access2Markets). Qualify a supplier here as you would anywhere else, through certificates, an audit and first articles. Our audit checklist is in How to qualify a CNC supplier in Turkey.
How do I check a Turkish supplier's ISO 9001 or IATF 16949 certificate?
Ask for the certificate and verify it with the issuer. ISO points buyers to the IAF CertSearch database, which lists only accredited certificates, or to the national accreditation body. For IATF 16949, IATF Global Oversight runs a Certificate Validity Check. TÜRKAK, the Turkish accreditation body, is an EA MLA signatory, so certificates it accredits are accepted in other signatory countries within the accredited scope.
Is an ISO 9001:2015 certificate still valid?
Yes. ISO published ISO 9001:2026 on 16 September 2026, and organisations certified to ISO 9001:2015 have until 30 September 2029 to transition (ISO/TC 176). A 2015 certificate is therefore not out of date today. Check its expiry date and ask when the supplier plans to move to the 2026 edition.
How do I confirm that delivered parts meet my drawing?
Combine three checks: a first article inspection on the first lot, a measurement report for the characteristics you marked on the drawing, and your own incoming inspection. Add an EN 10204 type 3.1 certificate when material traceability matters. The documents are explained in Quality documents for machined parts.
Which language do drawings and communication use?
Agree one written working language per project, for example English or German, and keep free-text notes on the drawing short. Symbols carry the rest: geometrical tolerances follow ISO 1101, and a general tolerance class such as ISO 2768-m goes in the title block. The technical drawing checklist lists the entries a supplier needs.
How large is the time difference to Bursa?
Türkiye has used UTC+3 all year since 7 September 2016 (IANA time zone database). Central Europe uses UTC+1 in winter and UTC+2 in summer, so a buyer in Germany, France or Italy sees a gap of 2 hours in winter and 1 hour in summer. Agree call slots in one time zone and name it in the project plan.
What payment terms work with a Turkish supplier?
Payment terms are agreed per contract. Options include a deposit or prepayment on the first order, open account once deliveries have proven reliable, and a documentary credit under ICC UCP 600. UCP 600 binds the parties only if the credit expressly says it is subject to those rules, so the credit text matters.
Do I pay VAT on top of the part price?
Yes. The customs union abolishes customs duties, not VAT, and all goods imported into the EU are generally subject to import VAT (Zoll). A VAT-registered business can usually claim it back as input tax. In Germany the import customs document serves as the proof, so keep it with the accounts.
Which documents come with every shipment?
Five documents cover a normal road shipment of machined parts. The material certificate appears only when the order specifies it.
Table 1. Documents for a road shipment of machined parts from Türkiye to the EU
| Document | Issued by | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Supplier | Goods description and value for the customs declaration |
| A.TR movement certificate | Turkish competent authorities | Proof of free-circulation status, the basis of 0% duty |
| CMR consignment note | Sender and carrier | Confirms the contract of carriage by road |
| EN 10204 type 3.1 certificate | Manufacturer, if specified in the order | Inspection document for the material |
| Import customs declaration | Importer or customs representative | Submitted to the national customs authority |
Source: European Commission, Access2Markets and DG TAXUD; CMR Convention, Articles 1 and 4; DIN EN 10204:2005-01. Status as of 2026-10-30.
What does the A.TR do, and who arranges it?
The A.TR is the evidence of free-circulation status that gives 0% duty. EU Member States accept A.TR certificates issued electronically by the Turkish competent authorities, with a QR code and without a wet-ink signature (European Commission, 5 July 2024). Settle in the order who requests it and which Incoterms 2020 rule applies, because that rule decides who handles export and import clearance. See the A.TR guide.
How long does delivery take, and which holidays matter?
Road transport from Bursa to central Europe typically takes 5 to 10 days, and production lead time comes on top. Under Law No. 2429, Ramazan Bayramı lasts 3.5 days and Kurban Bayramı 4.5 days, counted from 13:00 on the eve. The law also lists 1 January, 23 April, 1 May, 19 May, 15 July, 30 August and 29 October, and private workplaces must close on 29 October. Ask the supplier for its shutdown dates when you place the order.
Which law applies to a purchase from a Turkish supplier?
The parties choose. If the contract is silent, the UN Sales Convention (CISG) can apply when both parties' places of business are in contracting states (Article 1). Türkiye has been one since 1 August 2011, as have Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands. The parties may exclude it (Article 6), and made-to-order goods fall outside it where the buyer supplies a substantial part of the materials (Article 3).
What can I do when parts do not conform?
Inspect on receipt and give written notice quickly. Under the CISG the buyer must examine the goods within as short a period as practicable (Article 38). The buyer loses the right to rely on a defect without notice within a reasonable time after discovering it, and in any case within two years of handover (Article 39), unless a contractual guarantee period is longer. Set the claim, rework and credit process in the contract.
Can I enforce a claim against a Turkish supplier?
Name the governing law and the forum in the contract. An arbitration clause gives an award that can be enforced under the New York Convention, to which Türkiye acceded in 1992. Türkiye applies it to awards made in another contracting state and to disputes it treats as commercial. Whether a court judgment from your country can be enforced in Türkiye is a question for a lawyer.
How do I protect my drawings and IP?
Sign an NDA before you send drawings, send only the data a quote needs, and state in the order who owns tooling and fixtures. Under the CISG, the seller is not liable for third-party IP claims that result from following the buyer's drawings (Article 42(2)(b)), so that risk falls on the buyer. The clauses to agree are in NDA, IP and warranty clauses.
Can I visit and audit the supplier in person?
Yes, and a site audit belongs in qualification. Entry rules depend on passport and purpose of visit. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists German, French and Dutch ordinary passport holders as visa-exempt for up to 90 days, and UK ordinary passport holders for tourism only. Check your own case before booking.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Turkish supplier a safe choice for a European buyer?
- Safety depends on the individual shop, not the country. What is set at country level is the trade framework: Türkiye and the EU form a customs union for industrial goods, and machined parts enter the EU at 0% customs duty with an A.TR certificate. Qualify the supplier as you would any other, through certificates, an audit and first articles.
- How do I check a Turkish supplier's ISO 9001 certificate?
- Ask for the certificate and verify it with the issuer. ISO points buyers to the IAF CertSearch database, which lists only accredited certificates, or to the national accreditation body. TÜRKAK, the Turkish accreditation body, is an EA MLA signatory, so its accredited certificates are accepted in other signatory countries.
- Which payment terms work with a Turkish supplier?
- Payment terms are agreed per contract. Options include a deposit or prepayment on the first order, open account once deliveries have proven reliable, and a documentary credit under ICC UCP 600. UCP 600 applies only if the credit expressly says it is subject to those rules.
- Which law applies to a purchase from a Turkish supplier?
- The parties choose. If the contract is silent, the UN Sales Convention (CISG) can apply, because Türkiye has been a contracting state since 1 August 2011 and so are Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands. The parties may exclude it, and it does not apply where the buyer supplies a substantial part of the materials.
- Do I pay VAT on parts imported from Türkiye?
- Yes. The customs union abolishes customs duties, not VAT, so import VAT is charged when the parts enter the EU. A VAT-registered business can usually claim it back as input tax. In Germany the customs document serves as proof.
Sources
- European Commission, Access2Markets: EU–Türkiye customs union
- European Commission, DG TAXUD: Türkiye, customs unions and preferential arrangements
- European Commission, DG TAXUD: new A.TR movement certificate rules, 5 July 2024
- European Commission, Access2Markets: guide for import of goods
- ISO TC 176: ISO 9001:2026 release and transition dates (ISO technical committee site)
- ISO help centre: how to verify an accredited certification
- IATF Global Oversight: IATF Certificate Validity Check
- European co-operation for Accreditation: the EA MLA
- European co-operation for Accreditation: directory of EA members and MLA signatories (TÜRKAK)
- DIN EN ISO 1101:2017-09, geometrical tolerancing (DIN Media)
- DIN ISO 2768-1:1991-06, general tolerances, identical with ISO 2768-1:1989 (DIN Media)
- DIN EN 10204:2005-01, types of inspection documents (DIN Media)
- IANA time zone database, file europe (Europe/Istanbul, UTC+3 since 2016-09-07)
- ICC Digital Library: UCP 600, 2007 Revision, Article 1
- Zoll: import process and import VAT
- Zoll: Vorsteuerabzug bei der Einfuhrumsatzsteuer
- CMR Convention, consolidated text, Articles 1 and 4 (University of Oslo treaty library)
- Law No. 2429 on national and general holidays, Article 2 (Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi)
- UNCITRAL: United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), text, Articles 1, 3, 6, 38, 39, 42
- UNCITRAL: CISG status (Türkiye, accession 7 July 2010, in force 1 August 2011)
- UNCITRAL: New York Convention 1958, status (Türkiye, accession 2 July 1992)
- Republic of Türkiye, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: visa information for foreigners
Questions on a drawing? sales@ertas.engineering