News Scan, 14th Jan – Turkish firms warned over trade with ‘politically sensitive countries’
Turkish firms warned over trade with ‘politically sensitive countries’
The Economy Ministry has warned Turkish businessmen over commercial contacts with “politically sensitive countries,” sending out a letter urging them to inform the ministry about their visits to those nations.
In the circular sent through industrial and commercial chambers, the ministry asked companies to inform the government about any contacts that will be had in the forming of trade alliances in such countries.
“It would be appropriate to organize visits to certain politically sensitive countries according to ministry directives, and for guests from these countries to be invited likewise,” the statement read.
“Bilateral visits should be declared to the ministry in advance and they should be coordinated by the Economy Ministry, in consultation with the Foreign Affairs Ministry,” it added.
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
Turkish auto industry gears up for new investments, capacity increases
Turkey’s auto industry is geared up to receive new investments from the world’s leading motor vehicle makers and spare part manufacturers. According to investment certificates granted to companies operating in the field, the industry will receive TRY 5.8 billion (approx. USD 2.6 billion) worth of investments over the next 2 years in the form of capacity increases, new model additions, and research & development (R&D) related activities.
Major motor vehicle manufacturers in Turkey will be investing TRY 3.2 billion and creating 2,400 jobs while the spare parts industry will invest TRY 2.5 billion and create 6,700 jobs, analysis of the investment incentives show. A total of 9,000 new jobs are to be created in the industry within the next 2 years as a result of plant upgrades, opening of new assembly lines and R&D activities. Total motor vehicle production capacity in Turkey will hit 1.7 million vehicles per year with the realization of the planned investments.
Home to production plants of global automakers like Ford, Fiat, Toyota, Honda, Renault and Hyundai, Turkey’s automotive production volume reached 1.13 million vehicles in 2013, up 5 percent over the preceding year. 853,000 motor vehicles were sold in the country in 2013, rising 10 percent year-on-year. The critically important sector also led Turkey’s 2013 exports with USD 21.3 billion worth of shipments out of a total USD 151.7 billion.
INVEST.GOV.TR
State opens drug imports to competition, disturbs pharm industry
The government’s plans to open up the sale of imported drugs to individual drug storage companies and enable them to enter tenders is expected to stir competition in drug sales while disturbing local pharmaceutical companies that believe the change will negatively affect their business.
In recent comments to the media, Health Minister Mehmet Müezzinoğlu said that the Pharmaceutical Industry Association of Turkey (TİSD) will no longer be the sole seller of imported drugs, and that the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, which holds the tenders, will enable companies specializing in the storage of drugs to be included in the bids. He stated: “The Economy Coordination Board [EKK] is working on implementing a policy to open the import of drugs for storage companies. The EKK prepared a report that lists all drugs imported in 2013, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security will put the list up for tender. We will also ask for additional contracts from these firms, by which we seek to solve the difficult problem of finding imported drugs.”
Pharmaceutical companies under the TİSD umbrella are responsible for the sale and storage of imported drugs to the local market. The orders for imported drugs are placed by pharmacies and are then taken up by TİSD member companies that bring the drugs into the country.
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
