Glossary / TAREKS (Risk-Based Trade Control System)
TAREKS (Risk-Based Trade Control System) — explained
TAREKS is a web-based system, operated by the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade, that carries out safety, technical-regulation compliance, and quality checks on imported and exported goods electronically and on a risk basis.
TAREKS has been in use since 2011, and instead of inspecting every shipment at the same intensity, it electronically determines — based on defined risk criteria — which consignment is routed to physical examination and which to document checks. The product safety and inspection (ÜGD) procedures run directly by the Ministry of Trade go through this system; control certificates and conformity letters issued by other ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, under their own legislation run through a separate channel, applied for directly to the relevant ministry.
TAREKS is not a type of document — it is the electronic platform through which the Ministry of Trade routes its own inspections on a risk basis. The system itself does not grant a permit or approval; it determines which shipment goes to physical examination and which to document checks.
The risk-based approach means the intensity of inspection can vary depending on the importer's track record and the product's risk profile. This is not a guarantee that the same product will clear in the same time on every shipment; the order and intensity depend on the system's risk assessment at that moment.
When You Encounter It
When a product falling under the Ministry of Trade's own product safety and inspection (ÜGD) scope is imported, TAREKS determines whether the shipment is routed to physical examination or to document checks. Entering the application paperwork (invoice, GTİP, product characteristics) completely and consistently matters for the system to assess the shipment correctly.
For products subject to inspection by other ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (for example seeds, grain, plant or animal products), the control-certificate and conformity-letter process runs not through TAREKS but through a direct application to the relevant ministry; the result can then be conveyed to the customs authority via the Single Window System. Confusing the two channels leads to the application being made in the wrong place and the shipment being held up.
What It Doesn't Cover
- Having applied through TAREKS does not mean the inspection will automatically be decided in your favour; the system moves the process into an electronic environment, but the inspection decision itself is made by the relevant ministry.
- The system only covers product groups subject to inspection; not every import/export item requires a TAREKS application. We explain how conformity inspection affects the shipment timetable with a concrete example on our toy import sector page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since when has TAREKS been in use?+
Since 2011. Since then, risk-based electronic inspection of imports and exports has been carried out through the system.
What documents does TAREKS cover?+
It covers the product safety and inspection (ÜGD) procedures run directly by the Ministry of Trade. The control certificate and conformity letter issued by other ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, run not through TAREKS but through a direct application to the relevant ministry.
Who submits the TAREKS application?+
The application is generally submitted on behalf of the importer/exporter by a customs broker; the product and shipment information entered in the application must be accurate.
Let's handle this for your file, together
Let us apply the process we describe on this page to your own shipment as part of our Import Customs Clearance service — request a quote or ask us directly on WhatsApp.
Where This Term Comes Up in Our Work
TAREKS (Risk-Based Trade Control System) is one of the documents we track in our import customs clearance service.
Import Customs ClearanceCustoms and tax procedures for your incoming shipments from abroad.The Turkish original of this page was reviewed by our licensed customs broker. This translation is provided for information; the Turkish version prevails.
Source
Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade, Risk-Based Trade Control System (TAREKS) — The system was launched in 2011; its implementation principles are updated every year through Product Safety and Inspection communiqués.
Last updated: September 27, 2026