📌 KEY LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Competition Authority approved the Tofaş / Stellantis acquisition by accepting the parties’ commitment package. The commitments include an investment plan and measures taken in the distribution/sales channel as well as the protection of domestic production. Binding the acquisition to investment conditions is a first for the Authority.
The Competition Authority completed its preliminary investigation regarding Varta Pilleri Tic. Ltd. Şti. about whether it violated Article 4 of the Law on the Protection of Competition by setting resale prices for its resellers, restricting customers and regions, and intervening in internet sales. The Authority found the findings sufficient and decided to open an investigation.
The Competition Authority completed its investigation concerning the economic entirety formed by Biota Bitkisel İlaç ve Kozmetik Laboratuarları A.Ş., Derma Cos İlaç Medikal ve Kozmetik San. ve İç Tic. A.Ş., and Derma-Cos Kozmetik San. Tic. İth. ve İhr. Ltd. Şti. The economic entirety was fined approximately 31,400,000 TRY for setting resale prices by their resellers, and the investigation was resolved via settlement.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) Monetary Policy Committee decided to increase the policy rate (one-week repo auction rate) from 42.5% to 46%, raise the overnight lending rate from 46% to 49%, and increase the overnight borrowing rate from 41% to 44.5%.
📜 OFFICIAL GAZETTE
The Regulation on Private Health Institutions Providing Outpatient Diagnosis and Treatment was published in the Official Gazette dated April 19, 2025, Issue No. 32875. The regulation sets forth rules on the opening, operation, inspection, and closure of private health institutions.
The decision to extend the term of the Parliamentary Research Commission established to determine steps to be taken regarding Artificial Intelligence achievements, create the legal infrastructure in this area, and identify measures to prevent risks related to AI usage was published in the Official Gazette dated April 11, 2025, Issue No. 32867. Accordingly, the term of the commission was extended until April 15, 2025.
🔒 DATA BREACH NOTIFICATIONS
Two (2) personal data breach notifications submitted to the Personal Data Protection Board include the following summaries:
➢ Bellapais El Ayak Bakımı ve Güzellik Salonu Ticaret Limited Şirketi notified that a cyberattack resulted in unauthorized access to its systems, compromising data. The breach was detected on April 3, 2025. The affected data categories include names, surnames, Turkish ID numbers, birth dates, gender, mother’s and father’s names, phone numbers, addresses, planned transactions with customers, payment information (amounts, transaction details), and health data (including chronic condition declarations, if any). The breach affected 83,070 individuals consisting of employees, users, and customers/potential customers. Affected individuals may obtain information through the data controller’s call center and social media channels.
➢ Robotistan Elektronik Ticaret A.Ş. notified that attackers contacted them via email claiming to have obtained their data. The data controller uses T-Soft as its website infrastructure provider. The breach started in February 2024 and was detected on April 7, 2025. The affected group consists of customers/potential customers. The number of affected individuals is not yet known. The compromised data include names, surnames, phone numbers, addresses, and order information.
