July 2025 – In June, the Turkish Competition Authority (“TCA”) continued its proactive efforts, particularly addressing competition law concerns in sectors such as digital platforms and, foremost, the consumer electronics industry. In addition to the ongoing investigations and published decisions, the TCA also maintained its activity in June through regulatory efforts. These efforts once again demonstrated its determination to protect effective competition in the market. This issue of Quick Read dives into these key developments, providing you with a concise overview of the most important happenings in Türkiye’s competition law landscape during the past month.
The amended Specialisation Communiqué has entered into force
With the Block Exemption Communiqué No. 2025/2 on Specialisation Agreements (“New Communiqué”) published in the Official Gazette dated 26 June 2025, the Block Exemption Communiqué No: 2013/3 on Specialisation Agreements dated July 26, 2013 (“Former Communiqué”) has been repealed and certain amendments have been introduced.
The key amendment introduced by the New Communiqué over the Former Communiqué is the reduction, from 25% to 20%, of the market share threshold to benefit from the block exemption. In other words, with the New Communiqué, specialisation agreements may only benefit from the block exemption where the aggregate market share of the relevant parties does not exceed 20%. Moreover, while the Former Communiqué only considered the market share threshold in the relevant market of the products subject to the specialisation arrangement, the New Communiqué also introduces a 20% market share threshold for the downstream products where a specialisation product is an intermediary good used as an essential input in the production of downstream products.
Dive into June Case Updates
1. Can Holding fined for jumping the gun on Tekfen acquisition
Can Holding, which operates in numerous sectors including energy, industry, tourism, electronics, logistics, healthcare, and education, has been fined TRY 10.9 million (approx. EUR 239,048)[1] for acting as if it had already acquired control of Tekfen, currently under the control of ARY Holding and active in engineering & contracting, agricultural industry, and investment. While Can Holding notified the TCA of the proposed acquisition, the company failed to wait for the necessary approval.[2]
The TCA emphasised that neither Can Holding nor ARY Holding should engage in any actions or transactions that could result in a transfer of control before a final decision is made. At this stage, the acquisition is not legally valid, and the TCA’s review of the transaction remains ongoing.
2. Settlements in hub-and-spoke investigation into tech retailers
In February, the TCA launched an investigation into leading technology retailers Teknosa, Vatan, MediaMarkt, and small home appliances manufacturer Fakir, following allegations of exchanging competitively sensitive information through Fakir. Fakir was also being investigated for alleged resale price maintenance and online sales restrictions.
Teknosa, Vatan, and Fakir have since admitted the allegations, reaching settlements with the TCA. These undertakings were found to have engaged in anti-competitive conduct by participating in a hub-and-spoke cartel. As a result, Teknosa agreed to pay an administrative fine of TRY 17.2 million (approx. EUR 375,030), whereas Vatan accepted a fine of TRY 20.9 million (approx. EUR 456,308) for their involvement in the violation.[3]
Fakir also settled with the TCA regarding allegations of resale price maintenance as well as hub-and-spoke cartel.[4] As part of the settlement, Fakir agreed to pay a total administrative fine of TRY 26 million (approx. EUR 569,045). In addition, Fakir committed not to restrict online sales by its distributors going forward. The investigation into MediaMarkt remains ongoing.
3. Competition in labour market remains an enforcement priority for TCA
The TCA has concluded an investigation into ready-mix concrete producers in Ankara to determine if they violated competition laws in the labour market. The TCA found that four of the investigated parties had exchanged sensitive wage-related information, thereby violating competition regulations.[5] As a result, the TCA imposed a total administrative fine of TRY 4.2 million (approx. EUR 90,872) on these undertakings, whereas it found no violation for 13 other parties involved in the investigation. In the same case, two undertakings had previously settled, agreeing to pay an administrative fine totalling of TRY 6.3 million (approx. EUR 137,420).[6]
4. Mapei and Chryso penalised in construction chemicals probe
The TCA has concluded its investigation into several undertakings operating in the construction chemicals sector. The TCA found that Italian manufacturer Mapei violated competition law through resale price maintenance and by imposing territorial/customer restrictions. French manufacturer Chryso was found to have engaged in similar practices, additionally imposing non-compete obligations on its buyers. Consequently, the TCA imposed administrative fines of TRY 31.3 million (approx. EUR 685,010) on Mapei and TRY 11.4 million (approx. EUR 249,641) on Chryso. No infringement was found in relation to the remaining 11 undertakings and two associations (KÜB and YÜF) involved in the investigation.[7]
Furthermore, within the same investigation, the Association of Concrete and Mortar Chemical Admixture Producers (KÜB) was granted individual exemption for collecting and sharing consolidated sectoral data with its members and the Building Materials Manufacturers’ Federation (YÜF). This data, covering a one-year period and aged between two and five months includes total production, turnover, export value and volume, imported input value and volume, imported final product value and volume, employment, and total capacity of undertakings in the construction chemicals market.
5. Private food control laboratories face fine
The TCA has concluded its investigation into five private food control laboratories accused of engaging in price-fixing practices and exchanging competitively sensitive information.[8] While two companies were cleared of any violations, the TCA found three companies liable of violating competition laws. These companies had entered into price-fixing agreements and exchanged sensitive data concerning food analysis fees. As a result, the three companies were fined a total of TRY 2.4 million (approx. EUR 52,232) for their involvement in anti-competitive practices.
6. TCA cracks down on obstruction during inspections
The TCA is reinforcing its tough stance against efforts to obstruct on-site inspections, as highlighted by three recently published reasoned decisions.
Two of these cases involved the deletion of WhatsApp messages, a common issue seen during inspections. In one stance, employees of small home appliance manufacturer Arzum deleted WhatsApp messages and uninstalled the application during an inspection.[9] A similar incident occurred with concrete producer Serin Beton. The TCA imposed administrative fines in both cases.[10]
The third decision concerned Koçak Baklava, a producer of traditional Turkish desserts.[11] During an inspection, a shareholder initially refused to hand over their mobile phone to the inspection team. It was later discovered that all messages on the phone had been deleted during the period in which the phone was withheld, leading to an administrative fine.
New Investigations Announced
- Google Ads’ campaigns under scrutiny:[12] The investigation is examining allegations that Google has abused its dominant position in the online advertising market through its Performance Max (PMAX) campaigns, a type of campaign offered via Google Ads. The probe focuses on claims that Google leveraged its power in search-based advertising to strengthen its position in other areas of online advertising, engaged in unfair practices targeting advertisers using PMAX, and combined data collected from different channels in a manner that distorts competition in the market.
- Coca-Cola face competition probe:[13] An investigation launched into allegations that Coca-Cola has abused its dominant position by enforcing exclusivity agreements at retail points and excluding competitors from point-of-sales. The probe will also examine whether Coca-Cola has violated the obligations imposed by the TCA in a 2021 decision.
- Investigation launched into Kariyer.Net’s data practices:[14] The TCA has initiated an investigation into Kariyer.Net, iLab’s prominent online employment platform, which primarily targets white-collar employment. The probe centres on allegations that Kariyer.Net abused its dominant position through its data consolidation practices. These practices specifically involve “isinolsun.com”, its sister platform, which focuses on blue-collar workers and operates within the same economic entity. Additionally, the TCA will examine Kariyer.Net’s pricing strategies and intensive advertising expenditures.