Trade and foreign trade
Ministry of Trade Supports
Four distinct families of support, from exports and e-commerce to health tourism and cooperatives. Exports are only one of them.
The Ministry of Trade's supports reach further than most companies assume. Export supports are the best-known heading, but alongside them sit a separate decision dedicated to e-exports, a programme covering service exports — health tourism, software, education, film, contracting — and direct grants for tradespeople and cooperatives. Even if you do not export at all, there is a good chance you fall under one of these headings.
Key points
- Export supports: trade fair participation, market research, certification, foreign trademark registration and TURQUALITY® (Decision No. 5973)
- E-export supports: digital marketplace membership and promotion, virtual fairs, virtual trade delegations, order fulfilment (Decision No. 5986)
- Service sector supports: health tourism, education, software and gaming, film, overseas contracting and logistics distribution networks
- Tradespeople and cooperative supports: machinery and equipment grants and qualified staff support under KOOP-DES
- Support rates can be increased by additional points in markets on the target country list
Each heading has its own decision, circular, support rate and ceiling, and these are updated annually. Most applications are made after the expenditure, within set deadlines; missing a deadline forfeits the entitlement entirely.
Export supports
Close to twenty programmes under Decision No. 5973 that cover a significant share of an exporter's cost of entering foreign markets.
Market Entry Certificate Support
Support for the testing, analysis, certification and accreditation costs required for your product to be sold in the target market. CE, FDA, halal and sectoral quality certificates fall within this scope.
Foreign Trademark Registration Support
Support for application, agent and legal protection costs relating to registering and protecting your trademark abroad. It is one of the first investments to make before starting to export.
Market Entry Project Preparation Support
Preparation of a market entry strategy with consultancy support. Covers competitor analysis, pricing, channel selection and regulatory requirements.
Foreign Market Research Support
Support for travel and accommodation costs of foreign market research trips. A low-risk way to start exploring new markets.
Foreign and Domestic Trade Fair Supports
Support for space rental, stand construction, freight and promotion costs of participating in foreign trade fairs with a stand, and for participation costs at sectoral domestic fairs.
Foreign Company and Brand Acquisition Support
Support for consultancy and interest costs relating to the acquisition of a company or brand established abroad. Support amounts are higher for acquisitions of advanced technology companies; rent, office and promotion costs of the acquired structure are also within scope.
Global Supply Chain Supports
Support for machinery, software, consultancy and certification costs of companies aiming to enter global supply chains as suppliers.
Unit Rent Support
Support for the rental costs of stores, offices, showrooms and warehouses opened abroad. It markedly lowers the cost of establishing a physical presence in a market.
Promotion Support
Support for advertising, digital marketing, catalogue, promotional film and sponsorship spending directed abroad.
Eximbank Interest Rate and Insurance Supports
Interest rate differential support on Türk Eximbank loans and support for export receivables insurance premiums. Allows buyer risk to be managed under state guarantee.
Design and Product Development Project Support
Support for employment, tools and equipment, travel and consultancy costs in design and product development projects.
Designer Company and Design Office Support
Support for the foreign promotion, registration, employment and office costs of design-led companies.
Brand and TURQUALITY® Support
The world's only state-backed branding programme. Promotion, retail expansion, consultancy, certification and corporate infrastructure costs of companies admitted to the programme are supported over an extended period. Admission depends on a corporate maturity audit.
Multi-Channel Chain Store Support
Support for store, e-commerce and logistics infrastructure costs of companies building multi-channel retail networks abroad.
UR-GE Project Support
Companies in the same sector cluster to carry out joint needs analysis, training, consultancy and foreign marketing activities. It is a route into markets that smaller companies could not reach alone.
Export Consortium Support
Establishment, promotion and operating support that makes it easier for several companies to export under a shared structure.
Market Entry Report Support
Support for sector and market reports purchased from international organisations, and for consultancy and database subscriptions.
Sectoral Trade and Purchasing Delegation Supports
Support for the organisation costs of sectoral trade delegations sent abroad and foreign purchasing delegations invited to Türkiye.
Green Deal Compliance Support (Responsible®)
Support for the measurement, consultancy, certification and transition costs required to comply with the European Green Deal and the carbon border adjustment mechanism. It is becoming increasingly unavoidable for manufacturers exporting to the EU.
E-export supports
Supports under Decision No. 5986 for export activity carried out through digital marketplaces and online events.
E-commerce site membership support
Support for membership and commission costs on foreign marketplaces, at set amounts and rates per site.
Digital marketplace promotion support
Support for advertising, listing and visibility spending on marketplaces. It carries the highest ceiling in the e-export package.
Virtual fair participation and organisation
Support for the costs of participating in online trade fairs and of organising them.
Virtual trade delegation
Support for online bilateral business meeting programmes. A far cheaper way to test a market than a physical delegation.
Order fulfilment service support
Support for overseas warehousing, packing, labelling and last-mile delivery service costs.
Service sector supports
Supports for exports in health, education, software, film, contracting and logistics under the foreign-currency-earning services trade framework.
Health tourism supports
Support for promotion, overseas units, certification, patient travel costs and intermediary commissions incurred by healthcare providers treating patients from abroad.
Education services supports
Support for promotion, overseas offices, certification and student scholarship costs of institutions admitting students from abroad.
Software, gaming and IT supports
Support for promotion, market entry, overseas units and certification costs of companies exporting software, digital games and IT services.
Film and series supports
Support for the promotion and marketing costs of productions that showcase Türkiye, and for the spending foreign productions make in Türkiye.
Overseas contracting and technical consultancy
Support for feasibility studies, overseas offices, trade fairs, promotion and letter-of-guarantee costs of contracting and technical consultancy firms working abroad.
Overseas logistics distribution networks
Support for the rental, setup and operating costs of warehouses, bonded stores and distribution centres established abroad. It lets an exporter hold stock in the target market.
Tradespeople, artisan and cooperative supports
Grants and supports provided directly to domestically operating businesses and cooperatives, with no connection to exporting.
KOOP-DES — Cooperative Support Programme
Grant support for machinery and equipment purchases and qualified staff employment by cooperatives and their umbrella organisations, where these contribute to production and employment. Cooperatives whose members are mostly women are given priority.
Tradespeople and artisan supports
Loan interest support, vocational training and formal-employment transition programmes for tradespeople and artisans. Administered by the Directorate General for Tradesmen, Artisans and Cooperatives.
Let's start with a conversation
In a free 30-minute call, let's clarify which company structure and which incentives fit you. Non-binding, but useful.