On shipments out of Türkiye, delivery dates are decided by paperwork more often than by distance. A shipment waiting at a border for a corrected document loses more time than one taking a longer route. We therefore start before loading: check classification, confirm preference eligibility, verify that the documents agree with each other.
Two procedures apply to every shipment — export clearance in Türkiye and import clearance in the destination country. We handle both, not just the Turkish side.
Preference regimes differ by destination
This is the single most important thing to get right, because it determines whether duty is payable at all. Türkiye's trade arrangements are not uniform:
| Destination | Arrangement | Proof required |
|---|---|---|
| European Union | Customs union for industrial goods | A.TR — no duty on industrial goods |
| EU, agricultural / steel | Outside the customs union | EUR.1 or origin declaration |
| United Kingdom | UK–Türkiye free trade agreement | Proof of origin under the agreement |
| EFTA, various FTA partners | Free trade agreements | EUR.1 or origin declaration |
| Eurasian Economic Union | No free trade agreement | Certificate of origin; normal tariff applies |
| Other markets | No preference | Certificate of origin; importing country's tariff |
A frequent and expensive misunderstanding: the A.TR is not a certificate of origin. It proves that goods are in free circulation within the Türkiye–EU customs union, and says nothing about where they were manufactured. Goods made in Asia and properly imported into Türkiye can move on to the EU duty-free under an A.TR. Preferential origin, by contrast, is what EUR.1 certifies.
Standard document set
- Commercial invoice — value, description, Incoterm. The description must match the tariff code; generic wording such as "spare parts" invites queries.
- Packing list — packages, net and gross weight, dimensions. Must agree with the invoice.
- Transport document — CMR for road, Bill of Lading for sea, Air Waybill for air.
- Preference document — A.TR, EUR.1 or origin declaration depending on destination.
- Certificate of origin — where no preference applies but origin must still be evidenced.
- Transit document — TIR carnet or T1 depending on the routing.
- Advance declaration — an entry summary declaration is required before entering the EU customs territory.
Where shipments actually get stuck
Tariff code guessed
The commodity code sets duty rates, prohibitions and documentary requirements. An approximate code leads to post-clearance recovery or physical examination.
Invoice does not match packing list
Differing quantities, weights or descriptions between documents are the most common single cause of delay.
Wrong preference document
An A.TR issued for agricultural goods achieves nothing; the normal duty rate still applies because those goods fall outside the customs union.
Missing importer registration
Without the importer's customs registration number no entry can be filed, and the goods wait in a charged temporary storage facility.
Product-specific requirements
Customs is rarely the only hurdle. Depending on the goods and the destination market, further evidence is needed before release: conformity assessment and marking for many technical products, chemical safety documentation, health and phytosanitary certification for food and plant products, and licensing for dual-use goods. These are procedures with their own lead times, sometimes involving laboratory testing, so they cannot be completed after arrival. We establish which apply at enquiry stage.
What we do
- Classify the goods and verify the tariff code against what is actually being shipped
- Determine preference eligibility and obtain the correct document for the destination
- Check the document set for internal consistency before loading
- File the export declaration in Türkiye
- Open and monitor the transit procedure
- Coordinate import clearance with the consignee's broker
- Archive the documentation for later audit
The procedures are set out step by step in our customs guide. For the transport side see road freight, sea freight and air freight.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between A.TR and EUR.1?
The A.TR proves that industrial goods are in free circulation within the Türkiye–EU customs union, which removes import duty in the EU. EUR.1 is a preferential origin certificate used for goods outside that union — agricultural products and former ECSC coal and steel goods — and for other free trade agreement partners. The wrong document achieves no duty relief, so classifying the goods correctly is the first step, not obtaining a certificate.
Is the A.TR a certificate of origin?
No, and this confusion is costly. The A.TR certifies free circulation status within the customs union; it says nothing about where the goods were manufactured. Goods produced elsewhere and properly imported and cleared in Türkiye can be supplied on to the EU duty-free under an A.TR. Where preferential origin genuinely has to be proven, EUR.1 or an origin declaration is the correct instrument.
How long does clearance take?
With a complete and internally consistent document set, export clearance in Türkiye is usually done the same or next working day, and import entry at destination is a matter of hours. In practice delays are almost never caused by the procedure itself — they come from queries about documents, with mismatches between invoice and packing list being the classic case. That is why we check the set before loading.
Who is liable if the tariff code was wrong?
In customs law the declarant is responsible, which on import is normally the consignee or their customs representative. In practice the error usually originates earlier, in the seller's description of the goods. We verify classification against the actual goods before loading and flag inconsistencies before any declaration is filed.
Can you handle customs clearance only, without the transport?
Yes, this is available as a standalone service. If transport is already arranged we take on classification, preference documentation, export declaration and coordination with the import side. We need the invoice, packing list, a description of the goods and the details of shipper and consignee.