ETBIS is a central element of Turkey's electronic commerce framework. Businesses should determine whether they fall within its scope and keep their registered information current.
Author: ADEM AKKIR
ETBIS was regulated by a communiqué of the Ministry of Customs and Trade published in the Official Gazette on 11 August 2017. The communiqué was based on Law No. 6563 on the Regulation of Electronic Commerce and Article 16 of the Regulation on Service Providers and Intermediary Service Providers in Electronic Commerce.
ETBIS is the information system established by the Ministry to register service providers and intermediary service providers at https://etbis.eticaret.gov.tr, collect electronic commerce data and process that data to produce statistical information.
An intermediary service provider is a natural or legal person that provides an electronic commerce environment for the economic and commercial activities of others. A service provider is a natural or legal person conducting electronic commerce activities.
The following natural and legal persons must register with ETBIS before commencing operations:
a) Service providers operating in their own electronic commerce environment.
b) Intermediary service providers.
c) Service providers established in Türkiye that do not conduct electronic commerce in Türkiye but conclude contracts or receive orders through an intermediary service provider established abroad.
- MERSIS number,
- Tax identification number,
- For tradespeople and artisans, Turkish identity number and tax identification number,
- The mobile application and domain name through which electronic commerce or intermediary activities are conducted.
Information to Be Notified to ETBIS and Notification Procedure
- Registered electronic mail address suitable for formal service,
- Type of electronic commerce,
- Commercial activities outside electronic commerce,
- Categories of goods and services offered online,
- Payment methods offered online,
- Whether second-hand goods are offered and, if so, their categories,
- Information on services received from banks and payment and electronic money institutions, services received from other payment providers and payment methods for which those institutions do not act as intermediaries,
- Information on services received from cargo and logistics operators,
- Information on e-commerce infrastructure providers,
- The country and address of databases where personal and customer data is stored,
- Where cross-border electronic commerce is carried out, annual volume by country and payment method,
- Other information required by the Ministry of Customs and Trade,
- Service providers operating in their own electronic commerce environment must additionally notify production and warehouse addresses and the domain names of intermediary service providers through which they conduct cross-border electronic commerce.
Notifications by natural persons are made through the e-Government Gateway by the persons themselves or their authorised representatives. Notifications by legal persons are made by their authorised representatives.
Under Article 11(3) of Law No. 6563 on the Regulation of Electronic Commerce, intermediary service providers and service providers must register with ETBIS and provide the requested information. At the time covered by this archived publication, natural and legal persons failing to comply were subject to an administrative fine of between TRY 5,000 and TRY 20,000 under Article 12(1)(ç).
This content is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice.