28.05.2019 İstanbul
The Doing Business Reforms Meeting was held at the TOBB Istanbul Service Building with the participation of TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu and the Minister of Finance and Treasury Bülent Aksu. In his speech, Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that the country wants to attract more investments, to be more peaceful and to be richer.
At
the meeting representatives of the private sector were briefed on the reforms
by public representatives who prepared the reforms and regulations. Many new
regulations were introduced, such as the transition to one-stop-window for
company establishment, the facilitation of the construction permit processes,
the removal of excavation permission in acquiring electricity.
TOBB
President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, in his speech, stated that they’ve convened to
assess the investment environment in Turkey, “Because we want to reach Turkey's
goals; to attract more investments, attain peace, we want to be richer.” Stating
that the public-private sectors should cooperate and implement the right
strategies, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We know that we are stronger together. That's
why we're here today, to discuss what has been done in recent years in regards
to the improvement of the business environment in Turkey and to facilitate
doing business. We want to talk about what we can do for the further
improvement of the business environment in Turkey after this.”
- What was done?
Pointing
to the place better in global competition, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that one of the
most important indicators used on a global scale is the World Bank's Doing
Business rankings. “Our goal is clear. If we are among the 20 most powerful
economies in the world, then we must be in the top 20 of all indicators,” said
the TOBB President. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “You will see, we will enter into the
Doing Business top 20. We began the Doing Business adventure with our
government last year. We prepared our reform plan, called the World Bank,
showed our plan. Together with the ministries and the World Bank, we have
prepared a 3-year road map. We took the first fruits of our work on this
subject last year. In the 2019 report on Turkey, we moved up 17 places for the
first time in history. We became one of the top 10 reformist economies. Last
year, chambers became one-stop-shops for company establishment. In the field of
credit supply, our movable pledge law was implemented. Improvements in company
liquidation, tax and customs transactions were achieved. These efforts resulted
in leaping 45 steps in credit supply, 37 steps in building permits, 30 steps in
liquidation and foreign trade for Turkey. This year, under the leadership of
our Treasury and Finance Ministry, we worked to prepare the Doing Business
reforms of the new era.
This
year, a single window application was introduced in the trade registry. Now the
entrepreneur can go to a single window and do all the work with a single
officer. The documents required for construction permits and deed transactions
were reduced and moved to electronic media. Now workplace registration will be
made automatically to the SSI in the construction permits. While obtaining the
construction permit, there will be no need to declare tax debts. In
construction, audits will be made on a risk-based basis in line with world
practices. There have also been positive developments in the field of taxation.
VAT exemption and a one-point reduction in title deed were realized in the
purchase of machinery and equipment. I would like to thank Treasury and Finance
Minister Berat Albayrak for their support. Via Medos software, foreign trade
and proof of origin and circulation documents are electronically approved. With
the support of our Minister of Trade Ruhsar Pekcan, some improvements were made
in foreign trade costs.
As
TOBB, we are pleased to contribute to this process in the last 6 months. I
would like to express my gratitude to all those who contributed, especially Treasury
and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and our Deputy Minister Bülent Aksu, as
well as the President of the Republic of Turkey who supported this process on
behalf of the Turkish private sector.”
- We need to explain the reforms domestically
and internationally
Hisarcıklıoğlu
underlined that the reforms are not done and also underlined that they should promote
them domestically and internationally. Drawing attention to the fact that these
reforms will not benefit anyone if the business world is not aware, TOBB
President Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We need to explain these reforms to the
reporters. For this, we contacted the Treasury and the Ministry of Finance
together with the World Bank officials. In June, we will explain these reforms
to the World Bank in the US.”