The EU–Türkiye customs union and preferential origin

What the customs union covers

Türkiye and the European Union have been in a customs union since 1996. For the goods it covers, there are no customs duties between the two sides, and Türkiye applies a common external tariff that is largely aligned with the EU's.

The customs union mainly covers industrial goods and the industrial component of processed agricultural products. Basic agricultural products and coal and steel products are outside it; trade in those goods is governed by separate preferential agreements with their own origin rules.

Free circulation and the A.TR certificate

Within the customs union, the key idea is free circulation rather than origin. Goods made in the EU, and third-country goods that have been cleared and have paid duty in the EU, are in free circulation and can move to Türkiye without customs duty.

This status is shown with the A.TR movement certificate. An A.TR is not a certificate of origin: it says that the goods are in free circulation, not where they were made.

Why origin still matters

Some Turkish import charges depend on where the goods actually come from. Additional customs duties and trade-defence measures are set by country of origin, so a product shipped from an EU warehouse can still face them if it was made elsewhere. In practice, Turkish buyers may ask for evidence of origin in addition to the A.TR.

• For goods made in the EU, be ready to support a statement of origin with production records.
• For goods made outside the EU, tell your buyer the real country of origin; the A.TR alone does not settle it.
• Keep origin documents consistent with the commercial invoice and packing list.

Preferential agreements beyond the EU

Türkiye also has free trade agreements with many other countries and takes part in the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean system of origin rules. Under these agreements, reduced duty depends on preferential origin, proven with documents such as the EUR.1 or EUR-MED movement certificates or an origin declaration made on the invoice by an eligible exporter.

Each agreement has its own product-specific rules, so the same product can qualify under one agreement and not under another. The country pages on ithal360 list the regimes and proofs of origin that apply to each partner country.