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Customs Limit Removed: Protecting Producers or Creating Barriers?

The New Customs Regulation, R&D Barriers, and Global Production Ecosystems from the Perspective of a Logistics Student
January 20, 2026 by
Ufuk Arda Şimşek

In this article, I will analyze the recent changes to Turkey’s customs regulations from my perspective as a logistics management student. I will explore why these new rules were implemented and compare them with the strategic approaches taken by other countries to handle similar trade challenges.

In summary: What is changing?

With the new regulation, the "simplified customs declaration" exemption 
-previously applied to purchases under 27 Euros - has been completely abolished. Now, even a product worth 1 dollar coming from abroad is subject to standard import procedures. However, this "barrier model" has evolved through two significant developments: the "Model Exemption" introduced for academic R&D processes, and the "Commercial Import Bridge" developed by e-commerce giants to bypass these restrictions.
In the following sections, we analyze these recent developments by comparing this barrier model with the strategies implemented in India and China.

New Customs Decision: 0 Euro

According to the new regulation, the right to bring products from abroad (de minimis limit), which was previously 27 Euros, has been completely abolished under Decision No. 10813. This was published in the Official Gazette of Turkey (the government's legal journal where all new laws must be announced to become legally binding). The decision will take effect on February 6. The official reasons given are "protecting domestic production, preventing unfair competition, and reducing the current account deficit."

As you may know, the threshold for a "simplified customs declaration" - which allows courier companies to handle customs on your behalf - was first reduced from 150 Euros to 30 Euros, and then effectively to 27 Euros including shipping. Now, this right has been entirely removed.

How Will the New Law Affect Our Daily Lives?

With this change, individual overseas shopping has effectively ended in Turkey. From now on, to bring any product from abroad, you must work with a customs brokerage firm and follow standard, professional import procedures..

Who Will the New Law Affect and How?

Everyone living in Turkey will be affected. As an end consumer, you can no longer buy $5-$10 items from platforms like AliExpress or Temu without dealing with complex legal procedures.

Current Development 1: Temu and WhaleCo's Move

In response to this development, Temu established a company in Turkey under the name WhaleCo. With this move, shopping from abroad through Temu has become possible again. The reason for this is that shopping through Temu has now transitioned from "individual import" to "commercial import" regime via WhaleCo. So, even if you think you are shopping individually, a massive commercial logistics operation is running in the background.

🔗 Detailed Analysis:  How Does Temu Overcome Customs Barriers with "WhaleCo"?

The groups most affected will be students and R&D professionals. These individuals will no longer be able to easily source the components needed for prototype production from abroad. Since not every part is available locally in Turkey, R&D teams will either pay much higher prices to local intermediaries or stop their activities altogether.

CURRENT DEVELOPMENT 2: Flexibility for R&D (Model Exemption) 

The prediction I made in the first version of the writing that "R&D processes will become more difficult" unfortunately came true, and the ministry had to make a concession in this regard. A "Model Exemption" with a limit of 30 Euros has been introduced for academics and students. 

🔗 Detailed Analysis:  New Customs Regulation: New Rights for R&D and Samples

In this scenario, the real winners are not domestic producers, but the intermediary firms that import finished goods and sell them in the local Turkish market.

How to Import Products from Abroad?

To briefly summarize the process of bringing products according to customs procedures;

  • Transportation: First, the products you wish to purchase must be shipped to Turkey.
  • Bonded Warehouse: The products must be unloaded into a bonded warehouse within the country. Goods stored in bonded warehouses have not yet cleared customs and their taxes have not been paid. Storage costs in such warehouses are quite high.
  • Customs Broker: You must work with a customs broker to complete the customs clearance procedures and pay the required taxes for the goods stored in the warehouse.
  • Documentation: It is very important that the products are brand new; importing second-hand goods is subject to much stricter regulations. In addition, documents such as the certificate of origin and HS code (GTIP) must be provided.

The cost of all these procedures is often higher than the price of the product itself. Moreover, it is quite difficult to find a customs broker willing to work with you for low-value “cheap” products.

Global Examples: Models That Truly Support Producers

In its official statements, the Ministry emphasized “protecting domestic production.” However, as a logistics student, I would like to point out that simply raising customs barriers is not enough to protect local manufacturers. On the contrary, it reduces competition and leads to higher prices. So how do global economic powers truly support their producers and help them succeed in international markets?

The “Make in India” Model

India introduced the “Make in India” initiative to the world in 2014. The goal of this model is to turn India into one of the world’s major manufacturing hubs. Achieving this goal requires increasing domestic production. To support this, high taxes are imposed on the import of finished products, while the import of semi-finished goods is subject to little or no taxation.

For example, if you import a ready-to-sell, boxed, brand-new mobile phone, you are required to pay a 20% customs duty. However, if you import the components needed to manufacture the phone (such as the screen or motherboard), the tax rate ranges between 0% and 5%. This makes it far more advantageous to import parts and assemble the product in India rather than importing a finished product.

In addition, India aims to attract foreign investors by digitalizing and simplifying its customs processes. This approach can be summarized as the government taking on a facilitating role for foreign investment. In later stages, India also plans to improve its logistics infrastructure to support manufacturers in building global supply chains.

China's Pilot Zones

According to data from China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), as of 2026 there are more than 165 e-commerce pilot zones in China. The purpose of these zones is to encourage exports by providing domestic manufacturers with tax exemptions and allowing certain transactions without invoices. The government also offers R&D incentives to companies operating in these zones.

In addition, China encourages its manufacturers to establish logistics warehouses overseas. The aim of this policy is to reduce transportation costs and shorten delivery times by shipping products to customers from warehouses located closer to them, rather than directly from China.

To give an example, imagine you are a Chinese company producing goods in an e-commerce pilot zone. With government incentives, you ship your products at low cost to warehouses you have already established in Europe. Even before receiving any customer orders, you distribute large quantities of products around the world using low-cost container and sea transportation. When customers place orders, you ship the products from the nearest warehouse instead of sending them directly from China. This significantly reduces logistics costs and speeds up delivery times.

Conclusion

In this article, I discussed two different models from two different countries. The Indian model focuses on encouraging domestic production, while the Chinese model focuses on promoting exports. However, when you look closely, both models serve the same ultimate goal: turning their countries into global manufacturing hubs. They can be seen as two sides of the same coin.

India can be compared to China’s earlier development stages. Its primary goal is to increase domestic production and reduce imports of finished goods. China, on the other hand, has largely solved its production challenges and is now focused on building global distribution networks to deliver products cheaply and efficiently worldwide. As emphasized earlier, both countries aim to support their domestic producers.

Unfortunately, the “0 Euro” model that has been introduced in Turkey and is set to be implemented on February 6 appears to benefit import intermediaries more than domestic producers. To support R&D activities in Turkey, solutions such as granting exemptions to universities, vocational schools, and certain companies could at least be considered.  

References and Further Reading:

Global RAM Crisis and Supply Chain Disruption: What is the Chip Crisis?
The Capacity War of Giants: Google, the Automotive Industry, and the Consumer's Dilemma