Learn how exclusive distribution agreements are regulated in Turkey, including market-share thresholds, resale price maintenance, territorial restrictions, passive and online sales, non-compete clauses, termination, and legal protection for foreign companies

Exclusive distribution agreements are widely used by foreign manufacturers, exporters, technology companies, and international brands entering the Turkish market. Under this model, a supplier grants a Turkish distributor exclusive rights to sell specified products within a territory, customer group, sector, or distribution channel.

Exclusivity can encourage a distributor to invest in local marketing, warehousing, personnel, regulatory approvals, customer support, and after-sales services. However, it may also restrict competition, divide markets, limit online sales, or prevent customers from purchasing products from alternative sources.

For this reason, exclusive distribution agreements in Turkey must be reviewed not only under the Turkish Commercial Code and Turkish Code of Obligations but also under Law No. 4054 on the Protection of Competition, the Block Exemption Communiqué No. 2002/2 on Vertical Agreements, and the Turkish Competition Authority’s Vertical Agreements Guidelines.

As of 2026, Communiqué No. 2002/2, as amended by Communiqué No. 2021/4, continues to form the principal block-exemption framework for vertical agreements in Turkey. The Turkish Competition Authority’s 2025 Annual Report also refers to ongoing work relating to the vertical agreements regime during the 2025–2026 period, making current legal review particularly important.

What Is an Exclusive Distribution Agreement?

An exclusive distribution agreement is a continuing commercial contract under which a supplier appoints one distributor, or a limited number of distributors, to market and resell products within an agreed territory or customer group.

A typical structure may give the distributor exclusive rights for:

• The entire Turkish market
• A defined geographical region
• A particular customer category
• A specific product line
• A certain industry
• Government or private-sector customers
• Physical stores
• Online sales
• After-sales services
• Particular tenders or projects

The distributor generally purchases products from the supplier and resells them in its own name and for its own account. It normally bears inventory, resale, customer-credit, and local operating risks.

An exclusive distributor is legally different from a commercial agent. A commercial agent generally promotes or concludes transactions on behalf of the principal and earns commission, while a distributor usually earns the difference between its purchase and resale prices.

Are Exclusive Distribution Agreements Legal in Turkey?

Yes. Exclusive distribution agreements are not automatically unlawful.

They may improve competition by:

• Encouraging market-entry investments
• Supporting brand development
• Improving product availability
• Creating local inventory
• Increasing after-sales quality
• Preventing free-riding
• Supporting technical training
• Providing regulatory and logistical efficiency

However, exclusivity may become problematic where it is combined with restrictions that prevent distributors or customers from independently determining where, how, or at what price they buy and sell products.

The legality of an exclusive distribution arrangement depends on:

• Market shares
• Duration
• Scope of exclusivity
• Territorial restrictions
• Customer restrictions
• Resale pricing
• Online sales provisions
• Non-compete obligations
• Parallel trade restrictions
• Market structure
• Barriers to entry
• Foreclosure effects
• The parties’ conduct in practice

Principal Turkish Competition Law Framework

Law No. 4054

Article 4 of Law No. 4054 prohibits agreements, concerted practices, and decisions that have the object or effect of preventing, distorting, or restricting competition.

Exclusive distribution agreements are vertical agreements because they are concluded between businesses operating at different levels of the production or distribution chain.

A restriction within the contract may therefore be examined under Article 4 even where the parties regard it as commercially necessary.

Block Exemption Communiqué No. 2002/2

Communiqué No. 2002/2 provides a block-exemption mechanism for certain vertical agreements where the applicable conditions are satisfied.

The Communiqué was amended by Communiqué No. 2021/4, which entered into force after publication in the Official Gazette on 5 November 2021.

An agreement that satisfies the block-exemption conditions may benefit from protection without requiring an individual exemption decision.

However, the presence of a severe restriction may remove the benefit of block exemption from the agreement.

Market-Share Threshold

One of the most important conditions is the applicable market-share threshold.

Under the amended vertical agreements regime, the supplier’s market share in the relevant market generally must not exceed 30% for the block exemption to apply. In agreements involving an exclusive supply obligation, the relevant market share of the buyer may also become important.

Foreign suppliers should not calculate market share solely by reference to their own sales. A legally sound analysis may require:

• Definition of the relevant product market
• Definition of the relevant geographic market
• Identification of substitute products
• Assessment of imports
• Evaluation of competing brands
• Analysis of distribution channels
• Review of market data
• Treatment of connected undertakings

Even where the market-share threshold is exceeded, the agreement is not automatically unlawful. It loses the automatic protection of the block exemption and must be evaluated individually under the exemption conditions of Law No. 4054.

Hardcore Restrictions

Certain contractual restrictions are treated as particularly serious. These restrictions may prevent an agreement from benefiting from block exemption even where the parties’ market shares are below the threshold.

The most important risks include:

• Fixed or minimum resale prices
• Restrictions on passive sales
• Absolute territorial protection
• Certain customer restrictions
• Prohibitions equivalent to banning online sales
• Restrictions on sales between authorised distributors in certain systems
• Certain spare-parts restrictions

Foreign companies should avoid copying distribution contracts used in other countries without conducting a Turkish competition-law review.

Resale Price Maintenance

Can a Supplier Fix the Distributor’s Resale Price?

Generally, no.

A distributor must ordinarily remain free to determine the price at which it resells products. The supplier may generally communicate a recommended resale price or impose a genuine maximum resale price, provided that pressure, incentives, or practical enforcement do not convert it into a fixed or minimum price.

The Turkish Competition Authority treats direct and indirect interference with independent resale pricing as a serious competition-law concern.

Risky provisions and practices include:

• Fixed retail prices
• Minimum resale prices
• Mandatory price lists
• Required discount limits
• Minimum advertised prices
• Approval requirements for discounts
• Threats to terminate supply
• Reduction of rebates for non-compliance
• Monitoring distributor prices and demanding correction
• Pressuring low-price distributors following dealer complaints
• Delaying deliveries to punish discounting
• Linking bonuses to compliance with recommended prices

The legal assessment is based on actual practice as well as contract wording. A clause described as “recommended” may still create liability if the supplier monitors and enforces it.

Can Maximum or Recommended Prices Be Used?

Potentially, yes.

A supplier may generally recommend prices or specify maximum prices where these do not operate as fixed or minimum prices in practice.

The supplier should avoid:

• Penalties for lower prices
• Mandatory adherence rates
• Approval of promotions
• Threatening commercial retaliation
• Coordinating dealer margins
• Sharing dealer complaints to discipline discounting

Written compliance policies and internal training are advisable for sales personnel communicating with distributors.

Territorial Exclusivity

A supplier may appoint a distributor for a defined territory, such as Turkey, or for a more limited region.

However, exclusivity does not necessarily mean that every sale into the territory can be prohibited.

Turkish competition law distinguishes between:

• Active sales
• Passive sales

This distinction is fundamental.

Active Sales

Active sales generally involve targeted efforts directed at customers in another distributor’s exclusive territory or customer group.

Examples may include:

• Direct advertising aimed at another territory
• Targeted emails to customers in another exclusive region
• Customer visits outside the assigned territory
• Territory-specific online advertisements
• Direct solicitation
• Establishing a warehouse or branch in another exclusive territory

Under certain conditions, restrictions on active sales into an exclusively allocated territory or customer group may be permissible.

The agreement should define active sales carefully and avoid language broader than legally necessary.

Passive Sales

Passive sales generally arise where a distributor responds to unsolicited requests from individual customers.

Examples may include:

• Responding to an unsolicited email
• Accepting an order initiated by the customer
• Fulfilling a customer request received through a general website
• Selling to a customer who independently contacts the distributor

The Turkish Competition Authority’s guidelines and decisions treat restrictions on passive sales as especially problematic. Internet sales are generally regarded as passive sales unless the distributor specifically targets customers in another territory.

A clause preventing a Turkish distributor from responding to unsolicited orders from customers outside its territory may therefore jeopardise block-exemption protection.

Absolute Territorial Protection

Foreign suppliers sometimes promise a Turkish distributor “complete protection” from all outside sales.

This may include promises that:

• No other distributor may sell into Turkey
• Foreign distributors must reject Turkish customers
• The supplier will block cross-border orders
• Websites must prevent access from Turkey
• Customers outside Turkey may not resell into Turkey
• Parallel imports will be contractually eliminated
• Every sale into Turkey requires local distributor approval

Such provisions may amount to absolute territorial protection and create serious competition-law risk.

A supplier may be able to restrict certain active sales into an exclusive territory, but generally cannot guarantee complete isolation from passive sales and customer-initiated transactions.

Online Sales Restrictions

Online sales are one of the most sensitive areas in modern distribution law.

As a general principle, authorised distributors should be able to use the internet to reach customers. Restrictions that directly or indirectly prevent effective online sales may be treated as severe restrictions.

The Turkish Competition Authority’s materials state that internet sales are generally passive sales and that provisions equivalent to banning online sales may remove block-exemption protection.

High-risk restrictions include:

• Complete prohibition of online sales
• Requiring the distributor to redirect online customers
• Blocking customers based on location
• Cancelling online orders from outside the territory
• Limiting the percentage of online sales
• Charging higher wholesale prices for products sold online
• Preventing use of the distributor’s own website
• Requiring prior approval for every online sale
• Preventing effective use of online advertising
• Applying unreasonable online quality standards

Can Marketplace Sales Be Restricted?

Restrictions on sales through third-party marketplaces require a case-specific assessment.

A supplier may have legitimate interests relating to:

• Brand image
• Counterfeit prevention
• Product safety
• Quality control
• Customer experience
• Technical advice
• After-sales services

However, a marketplace restriction should be objectively justified, proportionate, non-discriminatory, and consistent with the nature of the products and distribution system.

A marketplace restriction is more likely to create competition concerns where it effectively prevents the distributor from making meaningful online sales.

The contract should distinguish between:

• Sales through the distributor’s own website
• Sales through authorised marketplaces
• Use of comparison websites
• Online advertising
• Social-media sales
• Third-party fulfilment services

Exclusivity and Direct Sales by the Supplier

The agreement should state whether the foreign supplier retains the right to sell directly into Turkey.

Important categories include:

• Existing international customers
• Global framework accounts
• Public tenders
• E-commerce orders
• Original-equipment manufacturers
• Government institutions
• Multinational customers
• Spare-parts customers
• Group companies
• Strategic projects

Without express provisions, disputes may arise over whether direct sales violate exclusivity.

The contract should clarify whether the distributor is entitled to:

• Commission
• Compensation
• A service fee
• No payment
• Participation in local fulfilment
• After-sales remuneration

Exclusive Distribution vs Exclusive Purchasing

These concepts should not be confused.

Exclusive Distribution

The supplier restricts the number of distributors appointed for a territory or customer group.

Exclusive Purchasing

The distributor agrees to purchase all or a substantial portion of its requirements from one supplier.

An exclusive purchasing obligation may function as a non-compete obligation and can create foreclosure risks where it prevents competing suppliers from accessing distributors.

The scope, duration, and market position of the parties must be considered.

Non-Compete Obligations

A non-compete clause may prevent the distributor from manufacturing, purchasing, selling, or promoting competing products.

Under the vertical agreements regime, a non-compete obligation of indefinite duration or a duration exceeding five years generally falls outside the block exemption, subject to specific legal exceptions and factual considerations.

Clauses that automatically renew beyond five years may also require careful review where the distributor cannot effectively renegotiate or terminate them.

The agreement should define:

• Competing products
• Restricted brands
• Territory
• Customer groups
• Duration
• Permitted existing businesses
• Exceptions
• Consequences of breach

A clause preventing the distributor from selling any potentially competing product in every market may be broader than necessary.

Post-Termination Non-Compete Clauses

Post-termination restrictions receive stricter treatment.

A post-contractual non-compete may benefit from protection only under limited conditions, typically where it:

• Relates to products competing with the contract products
• Is limited to the premises or land from which the distributor operated
• Is necessary to protect know-how transferred by the supplier
• Does not exceed one year

Confidentiality obligations protecting genuine trade secrets may continue for a longer period if properly drafted.

A broad nationwide prohibition on competition after termination may be unenforceable or fall outside the block exemption.

Minimum Purchase Obligations

Exclusive distributors are often required to meet annual minimum purchase or sales targets.

These clauses are generally commercial mechanisms rather than automatic competition-law violations. However, they must be clear and objectively measurable.

The agreement should address:

• Annual targets
• Product-based targets
• Forecasting
• Currency fluctuations
• Supply shortages
• Regulatory delays
• Force majeure
• Product recalls
• New product launches
• Target revisions
• Consequences of failure

Failure to meet targets may lead to:

• Loss of exclusivity
• Appointment of another distributor
• Territory reduction
• Corrective action
• Termination

The supplier should avoid using targets as a disguised mechanism for controlling resale prices or excluding competitors.

Selective Distribution Systems

Exclusive distribution should be distinguished from selective distribution.

In a selective distribution system, the supplier appoints distributors that satisfy objective criteria and generally restricts sales to unauthorised distributors.

Selective distribution may be appropriate for:

• Luxury goods
• Technically complex products
• Medical devices
• High-value electronics
• Products requiring trained personnel
• Products needing specialised installation
• Goods requiring particular retail presentation

The criteria should generally be:

• Objective
• Transparent
• Proportionate
• Applied consistently
• Related to the nature of the products

Sales between authorised members of a selective distribution system should not be improperly restricted.

Parallel Imports

A Turkish exclusive distributor may demand contractual protection against parallel imports.

Parallel imports involve genuine products entering Turkey through channels not controlled by the appointed distributor.

Competition-law, trademark-law, customs, regulatory, and exhaustion-of-rights questions may arise.

A contractual promise to eliminate every parallel import may be risky or impossible to enforce. The foreign supplier should avoid imposing unlawful restrictions on independent resellers or customers merely to protect the distributor’s commercial margin.

Counterfeit goods, unauthorised modifications, regulatory non-compliance, and trademark infringement should be distinguished from lawful trade in genuine products.

Information Exchange Risks

The supplier and distributor naturally exchange commercial information. However, the exchange should remain necessary and proportionate to the distribution relationship.

Sensitive information may include:

• Future resale prices
• Competitor prices
• Customer-specific pricing
• Distributor margins
• Future promotions
• Sales volumes
• Strategic plans
• Tender intentions
• Customer allocation

Additional risks arise where the same supplier distributes products through multiple competing distributors and facilitates information exchange between them.

A supplier should not act as a hub enabling competing distributors to coordinate prices, customers, territories, or tenders.

Dual Distribution

Dual distribution occurs where a supplier sells products both:

• Through independent distributors
• Directly to customers

This structure may place the supplier in competition with its own distributors at the retail or downstream level.

Necessary information exchange may still occur, but the parties should avoid sharing competitively sensitive information unrelated to the legitimate operation of the distribution system.

The agreement should regulate:

• Direct sales
• Customer allocation
• Use of distributor data
• Confidentiality
• Online sales
• Key accounts
• Pricing independence
• Complaints concerning competing channels

Most-Favoured-Nation Clauses

A most-favoured-nation clause may require the distributor to offer the supplier terms as favourable as those offered elsewhere, or prevent the distributor from selling more cheaply through another channel.

These clauses require careful analysis, particularly in digital markets.

Potential effects include:

• Reducing price competition
• Increasing barriers to entry
• Restricting platform competition
• Preventing discounted sales
• Coordinating commercial terms

The legal risk depends on market power, contractual scope, affected channels, and market effects.

Competition-Law Liability

A competition-law violation may expose the parties to:

• Administrative monetary fines
• Investigation costs
• Reputational damage
• Invalidity of contractual provisions
• Damages claims
• Operational disruption
• Mandatory amendment of the distribution system
• Loss of block exemption
• Compliance obligations

The Turkish Competition Authority continues to examine vertical restraints, including resale price maintenance, online sales restrictions, and conduct affecting distributor independence. Recent decisions also show that merely structuring an arrangement as a vertical relationship does not guarantee block-exemption protection.

Can the Entire Agreement Become Invalid?

A competition-restricting provision may be legally ineffective or unenforceable. Whether the entire agreement is affected depends on:

• The nature of the restriction
• Severability
• Contract wording
• Whether the agreement can survive without the unlawful clause
• Applicable private-law rules
• The significance of the restriction to the commercial arrangement

A severability clause is helpful but cannot guarantee that the remaining contract will always remain enforceable.

Individual Exemption

Where an agreement does not benefit from block exemption, it may still qualify for individual exemption if the statutory conditions are satisfied.

The parties may need to demonstrate that the agreement:

• Creates economic or technical improvements
• Provides consumers a fair share of the resulting benefit
• Does not impose restrictions beyond what is necessary
• Does not eliminate competition in a substantial part of the relevant market

This analysis should be supported by evidence, not only contractual statements.

Useful evidence may include:

• Investment requirements
• Market-entry costs
• Training expenses
• Free-riding risks
• Logistics efficiencies
• Product-safety improvements
• Service-quality benefits
• Consumer benefits
• Market data

Dominant Position Risks

A supplier with a dominant position may face additional scrutiny under Article 6 of Law No. 4054.

Exclusivity may create abuse concerns where it:

• Forecloses competitors
• Ties up major distributors
• Prevents market access
• Uses loyalty rebates
• Discriminates between equivalent distributors
• Restricts essential inputs
• Makes termination retaliatory
• Combines exclusivity with below-cost or exclusionary practices

A contractual arrangement may satisfy ordinary vertical agreement rules but still create dominant-position concerns.

Duration and Renewal

The agreement should clearly state whether it is:

• Fixed-term
• Indefinite
• Automatically renewable
• Subject to performance-based renewal

Long-term exclusivity may provide investment certainty but can also increase foreclosure and dependency risks.

The agreement should establish:

• Renewal notice
• Performance review
• Competition-law review
• Market-share review
• Target adjustment
• Renegotiation rights
• Termination rights

Automatic renewal should not be used to circumvent duration restrictions applicable to non-compete obligations.

Termination of Exclusive Distribution Agreements

Termination is one of the most disputed areas.

The contract should regulate:

• Ordinary termination
• Notice periods
• Immediate termination
• Failure to meet targets
• Non-payment
• Competition-law violations
• Bribery or sanctions breaches
• Loss of licences
• Product misuse
• Trademark infringement
• Change of control
• Insolvency
• Reputational damage
• Data breaches

The supplier should not assume that a broad termination clause eliminates every claim.

Depending on the circumstances, the distributor may assert:

• Lost-profit damages
• Compensation for insufficient notice
• Reimbursement of investments
• Unsold-stock claims
• Goodwill indemnity
• Abuse-of-rights claims
• Contractual penalties

Goodwill Indemnity

Although goodwill indemnity is expressly regulated for commercial agents under the Turkish Commercial Code, an exclusive distributor may, in appropriate circumstances, seek similar compensation by analogy.

The risk is greater where the distributor:

• Developed a substantial customer portfolio
• Transferred customer information to the supplier
• Integrated customers into the supplier’s network
• Created lasting market value
• Is prevented from continuing to benefit from those customers
• Operated in a relationship economically similar to agency

A foreign supplier should evaluate potential goodwill-indemnity exposure before termination, restructuring, direct market entry, or appointment of a replacement distributor.

Unsold Inventory After Termination

The agreement should state what happens to remaining stock.

Possible solutions include:

• Mandatory supplier repurchase
• Optional repurchase
• Continued sell-off period
• Transfer to a new distributor
• Destruction in exceptional cases
• Continued warranty servicing
• Discounted liquidation

The contract should also regulate:

• Repurchase price
• Product condition
• Expiry dates
• Obsolete models
• Packaging
• Freight
• Customs
• Taxes
• Returns
• Brand use during sell-off

Without a clear clause, inventory disputes may delay the market transition.

Trademark and Domain-Name Protection

The distributor should receive only a limited, revocable right to use the supplier’s intellectual property.

The agreement should prohibit the distributor from registering in its own name:

• Trademarks
• Trade names
• Domain names
• Social-media accounts
• Advertising keywords
• Similar logos
• Product designs

The supplier should retain ownership and control of its brand assets.

Upon termination, the distributor should:

• Stop presenting itself as authorised
• Transfer agreed digital accounts
• Remove branding
• Return marketing materials
• Cease use after any permitted sell-off period

Product Compliance and Import Responsibility

An exclusive distributor may also act as importer into Turkey.

The contract should allocate responsibility for:

• Customs classification
• Origin documentation
• Import licences
• Technical regulations
• Product safety
• Turkish-language labelling
• Market surveillance
• Product registration
• Testing
• Recalls
• Regulatory penalties
• Storage and demurrage
• Warranty obligations

Exclusivity does not transfer every regulatory obligation automatically. Mandatory Turkish law may impose duties on the manufacturer, importer, distributor, authorised representative, or other economic operator.

Data Protection and Customer Information

Exclusive distribution agreements often require the distributor to provide customer and sales data to the foreign supplier.

The contract should address:

• Legal basis for processing
• Privacy notices
• Customer consent where required
• Data-security obligations
• Cross-border data transfers
• Data-controller roles
• Processor obligations
• Retention periods
• Marketing permissions
• Data-breach notification
• Post-termination use

A clause stating that “all customer data belongs to the supplier” does not by itself establish compliance with Turkish personal-data rules.

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

Foreign companies may select Turkish or foreign law, subject to applicable conflict-of-law and mandatory rules.

However, a foreign governing-law clause will not necessarily exclude Turkish competition law where the agreement produces effects in Turkey.

The dispute-resolution clause should specify:

• Governing law
• Turkish courts or foreign courts
• Arbitration institution
• Seat of arbitration
• Language
• Number of arbitrators
• Interim measures
• Service of notices
• Confidentiality
• Enforcement

Competition-law questions may still arise before Turkish authorities or courts regardless of the selected contractual forum.

Practical Contract Checklist

Before signing an exclusive distribution agreement in Turkey, foreign companies should confirm:

1. The relevant product and geographic markets
2. The parties’ market shares
3. Whether block exemption is available
4. The exact territory and customer group
5. Which active sales may be restricted
6. That passive sales are not unlawfully restricted
7. That online sales remain effectively possible
8. That resale prices are independently determined
9. The duration of non-compete obligations
10. Direct-sales and key-account rights
11. Minimum purchases and targets
12. Import and product-compliance responsibilities
13. Trademark and data protection
14. Unsold-stock treatment
15. Termination and notice provisions
16. Goodwill-indemnity exposure
17. Governing law and dispute resolution
18. Periodic competition-law review

2026 Legal Assessment

As of 2026, exclusive distribution agreements remain lawful in principle, but they continue to face close scrutiny where they affect resale pricing, online sales, passive customer requests, market access, or distributor independence.

The main legal reference points remain:

• Law No. 4054
• Communiqué No. 2002/2
• Communiqué No. 2021/4
• Vertical Agreements Guidelines
• Turkish Competition Authority decisions
• Turkish commercial and contract law

The Turkish Competition Authority’s current materials and recent decisions confirm that the vertical agreements regime remains actively enforced and that block exemption cannot be assumed merely because an arrangement is described as exclusive distribution.

Foreign suppliers should review existing contracts whenever:

• Market shares increase
• New sales channels are introduced
• Online restrictions are added
• Pricing policies change
• The distributor becomes economically dependent
• Exclusivity is renewed
• Direct sales begin
• A distributor is replaced
• The supplier acquires market power

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are exclusive distribution agreements legal in Turkey?

Yes. They are generally lawful where they comply with Turkish competition law and do not contain prohibited or disproportionate restrictions.

2. What is the market-share threshold for block exemption?

The supplier’s share of the relevant market generally must not exceed 30% under the amended vertical agreements regime. Market definition and calculation must be assessed carefully.

3. Can a supplier fix the distributor’s resale price?

Generally no. Fixed or minimum resale price maintenance is a serious competition-law restriction. Genuine recommended or maximum prices may be permissible if they are not enforced as minimum prices.

4. Can a distributor be prevented from selling outside Turkey?

Certain active sales into another exclusively allocated territory may potentially be restricted, but passive sales and unsolicited customer requests generally cannot be absolutely prohibited.

5. Can online sales be completely prohibited?

Generally no. A complete or effective ban on online sales may constitute a severe restriction and remove block-exemption protection.

6. Can a supplier restrict marketplace sales?

Possibly, but only after a case-specific assessment. The restriction should be objectively justified, proportionate, and should not effectively prevent meaningful online sales.

7. Can an exclusive distributor sell competing products?

The contract may contain a non-compete obligation, but its scope and duration must comply with competition-law requirements. Obligations exceeding five years generally require particular caution.

8. Can the foreign supplier sell directly to Turkish customers?

Yes, if the contract reserves that right. Direct sales, key accounts, online orders, and public tenders should be expressly regulated.

9. Can an exclusive distributor claim compensation after termination?

Potentially. Claims may include damages, insufficient-notice compensation, investment costs, unsold-stock losses, and goodwill indemnity depending on the facts.

10. Does choosing foreign law exclude Turkish competition law?

No. Turkish competition law may apply where the agreement affects the Turkish market, regardless of the contractual governing-law clause.

Client-Focused Legal Support for Exclusive Distribution Agreements

An exclusive distribution agreement can help a foreign company enter and develop the Turkish market, but incorrectly drafted pricing, territorial, online sales, or non-compete provisions may create significant competition-law exposure.

Fırat Fesih Kaya Law Office advises foreign manufacturers, exporters, investors, suppliers, technology companies, and international brands on:

• Exclusive distribution agreements
• Turkish competition-law compliance
• Resale pricing policies
• Online and marketplace sales
• Territorial and customer restrictions
• Non-compete obligations
• Distributor termination
• Goodwill-indemnity claims
• Commercial litigation and arbitration

Lawyer Fırat Fesih Kaya provides legal support for establishing, reviewing, restructuring, and terminating distribution networks in Turkey.

Phone: +90 312 434 22 22
Mobile: +90 532 769 22 22
Email: info@firatfesihkaya.av.tr
Address: Mevlana Boulevard No:221, Yıldırım Tower, No:148, 06520 Balgat, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey

Disclaimer: This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Competition-law assessment depends on market definition, market shares, contractual wording, commercial conduct, distribution structure, and the characteristics of the relevant products and market.