The duties, powers and working principles of the “Unfair Price Evaluation Board”, which was established to control exorbitant prices and hoarding during states of emergency, disasters, economic fluctuations and other emergencies, were regulated.
The “Unfair Price Evaluation Board Regulation” of the Ministry of Commerce came into force after being published in the Official Gazette.
Accordingly, the Board, which will consist of 13 members, will include members from the Ministry of Commerce, Justice, Treasury and Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Technology and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen and the Advertising Board.
The Board will take the necessary measures to protect market balance and consumers against exorbitant price increases and stockpiling practices during states of emergency, disasters and economic fluctuations and other emergencies, ensure their implementation and carry out inspections and inspections.
Administrative fines may be imposed on manufacturers, suppliers and retail businesses that are found to have carried out these practices.
The Board will determine the principles and rules regarding exorbitant price increases and stockpiling practices.
Application method
Complaints regarding these practices will be made to the Ministry of Commerce or provincial directorate through the complaint system or other electronic application methods.
Applications will include contact information, introductory information about the manufacturer, supplier or retail business subject to the complaint, information about the goods or services, and documents, photographs and video footage, if any.
If it is determined that judicial proceedings have been taken before the application or before the Board’s decision regarding the application is taken, the application will be removed from the process and this situation will be notified to the applicant with its justification.
In inspections carried out ex officio or upon complaint, the manufacturer, supplier and retail business will be given a period of not less than 10 days for defense, starting from the day of the inspection.
Administrative fines cannot be imposed on businesses without their defense, except in cases where the defense is not made within the specified time.
The Board’s decisions will be implemented by the Ministry and may be announced in order to inform and enlighten the public and to protect the economic interests of the parties in the goods and services market.
Administrative penalty up to 500 thousand lira
The Ministry will be authorized to inspect manufacturers, suppliers and retail businesses and to request all kinds of information and documents from relevant persons, institutions and organizations.
Upon the request of the Ministry, the competent administrations will conduct preliminary inspections on the exorbitant price increases and stockpiling practices of manufacturers, suppliers and retail businesses and immediately report the results of the inspection to the Ministry.
Those who are found to be exorbitant price increases will be given an administrative fine of 10 thousand liras to 100 thousand liras, and those who stockpile will be given an administrative fine of 50 thousand liras to 500 thousand liras.
In determining the administrative fine, issues such as the gravity and unfair content of the act committed, the type, size and sector of the business, exorbitant price increases and the benefit obtained from stockpiling activities and whether an administrative fine has been imposed on the same issue before will be taken into consideration.
Applications made to the Ministry about exorbitant price increases before April 17, 2020 will be finalized by the Advertising Board.
Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/ekonomi/fahis-fiyat-artisi-ve-stokculuga-karsi-siki-takip/1855815
