Among the regulations published in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) during the week of 20–26 July 2026, the highlight this week was two decisions of the 3rd Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation (Yargıtay) concerning timeshare (holiday ownership) contracts and consumer disputes. In addition, amendments to regulations on the Environmental Impact Assessment (ÇED) competence certificate and on the zoning procedures for renewable energy facilities, which directly affect construction, tourism and real estate investments, testing/compensation rules affecting the agriculture and livestock sector, and numerous administrative decisions on the working procedures of the committees of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) were published. In this article, we have grouped the week’s main developments by subject.
A significant part of the total of thirty-four regulations published in the Official Gazette this week consists of administrative decisions, very similar in content, allowing various parliamentary committees to continue working during the summer recess. To help our readers use their time efficiently, we have grouped these repetitive decisions under a single heading rather than discussing them one by one; by contrast, the court decisions and regulatory amendments with real legal and commercial impact are covered in detail.
Court Decisions: Two Important Court of Cassation Decisions on Consumer Rights
Right of Withdrawal and Refunds in Timeshare Contracts
In a decision concerning the application of the Law No. 6502 on Consumer Protection (TKHK) and the amendments introduced by Law No. 7392, the 3rd Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation emphasised that amounts paid by consumers who exercise their right of withdrawal from timeshare contracts must be refunded immediately. According to the decision, no payment may be demanded from the consumer during the statutory 14-day withdrawal period; if any payment has been collected within this period, it must be refunded without delay.
Who is affected? Consumers who have signed timeshare contracts, companies operating holiday complexes, and intermediaries marketing such products through online platforms.
Practical consequence: Timeshare operators will not be able to demand payment during the withdrawal period and will have to refund any amounts received immediately; otherwise, the contract may be deemed invalid and the consumer may apply to court.
Given Alanya’s busy holiday complex and timeshare market, this decision is of particular importance. Turkish and foreign consumers who purchase timeshare products in the region now have a stronger legal basis for recovering the amounts they have paid after exercising their right of withdrawal.
Enforcement Proceedings and the Consumer Arbitration Committee May Be Used at the Same Time
The same Chamber’s second decision clarified that, in consumer disputes below TRY 149,000, the claimant may both initiate enforcement proceedings under the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law (İİK) and apply to the Consumer Arbitration Committee (Tüketici Hakem Heyeti), and that these two routes do not bar each other on the ground of “lis pendens” (pending proceedings). It was also stated that applications to arbitration committees must be examined on the merits even where the committee considers that it lacks jurisdiction.
Who is affected? Persons who are creditors in their capacity as consumers in the fields of real estate brokerage, accommodation, repair and services, and the tradespeople, sellers and service providers on the other side.
Practical consequence: Where claims for the same receivable are brought through two different routes (enforcement + arbitration committee), businesses will not be able to halt the process with a lis pendens objection; they will need to prepare separate responses to both applications.
In consumer disputes between buyers and sellers, tenants and landlords, and estate agents in Alanya’s busy property market, this clarification gives consumers a more flexible strategy, particularly for small claims.
Regulatory Amendments Affecting Construction, Tourism and Real Estate Investments
Requirements for Applying for an EIA Competence Certificate Tightened
The communiqué of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change dated 23 July 2026 revised the documents required from institutions and organisations wishing to obtain an Environmental Impact Assessment (ÇED) competence certificate. Applicants are now required to submit a trade registry record, a site suitability letter obtained no more than 180 days earlier, staff graduation and work experience documents, and an engineering-consultancy certificate obtained from chambers affiliated with the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB). Existing certificate holders have been given a 90-day transition period to comply with the new requirements.
Who is affected? Environmental engineering offices and consultancy firms that hold or plan to apply for an EIA competence certificate, and investors who use the services of these firms.
Practical consequence: Businesses investing in tourism infrastructure, hotels, marinas and recreational facilities in Alanya need to check whether the environmental consultancy firms they work with hold up-to-date certification; the 90-day compliance period for existing certificate holders may affect the timelines of some projects.
Zoning Procedures for Wind and Solar Energy Facilities to Be Handled by a Single Authority
The regulation of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources dated 24 July 2026 brought the zoning plan approval, building permit and business licence procedures for wind power plants (RES) and solar power plants (GES) under a single administrative framework. Powers that were previously scattered among different institutions will now be coordinated by the Ministry; building permit applications will be decided within 30 days and business licences within 5 days.
Who is affected? Companies holding RES/GES licences, project designers, site technical supervisors, and the owners or tenants of the land on which these facilities will be built.
Practical consequence: Making the procedures predictable and subject to defined time limits reduces administrative uncertainty for entrepreneurs planning energy investments in and around Alanya; investors will now be able to plan knowing the duration of each stage in advance.
Candidacy Requirements in Chambers of Engineers and Architects Eased
With an amendment to the Main Regulation of the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects, the requirement for candidates for chamber bodies to be delegates of the General Assembly has been abolished; candidacy applications may now be submitted directly to the presiding board by petition.
Practical consequence: Participation in chamber management by engineers and architects working in the construction and real estate sector in Alanya becomes easier; this means broader participation in professional organisations.
Regulations Affecting the Agriculture and Livestock Sector
This week the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry published four interrelated regulations on animal diseases:
- Bovine brucellosis: The age limit for animals to be tested for status control has been reduced from 30 months to 12 months; two tests at least six months apart have been made mandatory for animals brought in from outside.
- Bovine tuberculosis: Testing intervals have been shortened (60 days → 42 days, 4 months → 84 days, 12 months → 180 days); the procedure for regaining free status for holdings that have lost it has been clarified.
- Disease compensation: For cattle found to have tuberculosis, 90% of their value (75% for those detected at the slaughterhouse) will be paid as compensation, and for cattle, sheep and goats found to have brucellosis, 90% of their value.
- Slaughterhouses: From 1 January 2027, all slaughter processes must be monitored with video systems capable of storing recordings for at least one month, and animal welfare standards (mechanical restraint, vibration-free equipment, etc.) must be complied with.
Who is affected? Cattle, sheep and goat breeders, veterinarians, and operators of slaughterhouses and meat processing facilities.
Practical consequence: Testing and record-keeping obligations increase for livestock businesses in and around Alanya; in return, compensation rates for officially certified holdings are clarified. These regulations also raise the traceability standard for meat and dairy products entering the region’s food supply chain during the tourist season.
Occupational Health and Safety: Ventilation Rules in Mining Workplaces
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security amended two separate regulations on ventilation systems used in underground mining workplaces. The regulations clarify concepts such as “main ventilation fan”, “auxiliary ventilation fan” and “backup power system”, and provide for work to be stopped if the main ventilation fan stops, if there is no backup fan, or if it is not connected to a backup power system. The functionality of the backup fan must be tested at least once a month. These requirements will enter fully into force from 30 June 2027.
Who is affected? Underground mine operators, mining engineers and personnel working in these workplaces.
Practical consequence: Mine operators need to invest in ventilation and backup power systems, keep periodic test records and update their occupational safety documentation; otherwise, they may face the risk of work being stopped. Although direct underground mining activity is limited in the Alanya region, this regulation is worth following for employers as it shows the general direction of occupational health and safety legislation.
TBMM Decisions: Committees Will Be Able to Work During the Recess
This week, the Official Gazette published decisions taken by the General Assembly of the TBMM on 22 July 2026, authorising numerous specialised committees to meet during Parliament’s summer recess and adjournment as well. These decisions, repeated with the same content, cover the following committees: Public Works, Zoning, Transport and Tourism; Justice; Industry, Trade, Energy, Natural Resources, Information and Technology; National Education, Culture, Youth and Sports; Digital Media; Environment; National Defence; State Economic Enterprises (KİT); Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs; Interior; Security and Intelligence; Foreign Affairs; Health, Family, Labour and Social Affairs; and the European Union Harmonisation Committee.
Who is affected? Members and secretariats of the relevant committees; indirectly, institutions and sector representatives following legislative amendments under discussion in these committees.
Practical consequence: These decisions do not directly create any rights or obligations; they are administrative in nature. However, the fact that the Public Works, Zoning, Transport and Tourism Committee and the Justice Committee can work during the recess means that legislative work in the areas of zoning, real estate and the judiciary may progress during the summer months, and that regulations affecting the real estate and construction sector in Alanya may therefore remain on the agenda.
Other TBMM Decisions
In the same week, the authorisation for the Turkish Armed Forces’ security operations in Somalia was extended for another two years from 27 July 2026; this decision indirectly concerns maritime transport companies operating commercial shipping traffic in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia. In addition, the term of office of the Parliamentary Research Committee examining the school incidents in Şanlıurfa and Kahramanmaraş and the risks children face in digital environments was extended by one month from 29 July 2026; this work closely concerns educational institutions and parents.
Other Administrative Regulations and Appointments
The rest of the week’s regulations are mostly institutional/administrative in nature and have limited direct relevance for readers in Alanya. In brief:
- Appointments were made to the membership of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and rectors were appointed to eight universities; in addition, the criteria for promotion and change of title of higher education personnel were made subject to a single standard.
- The Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency introduced a TRY 250 million equity requirement for organisations providing claims management and assistance services, and training/experience requirements for loss adjusters; a phased transition period from 2026 to 2030 has been granted. This regulation may play an indirect role in the application of insurance policies that provide cover for tourists and investors.
- Technical amendments updating the institutional structure and board membership numbers were made to the regulations on the Turkish Health Policies Institute, the Turkish Biotechnology Institute and the Manuscripts Institution Research Centre.
- A comprehensive revision concerning education, examinations and personnel management was made to the Regulation on the War Institutes of the National Defence University.
None of these regulations directly affects real estate, tourism, employment law or consumer law practice in Alanya this week; they are listed briefly for information purposes. Nevertheless, such technical updates to university and institute regulations can sometimes be the first sign of a more comprehensive legislative change in the future; for this reason, they will continue to be included in our weekly monitoring.
Conclusion
The main development of the week of 20–26 July 2026 was the decisions of the 3rd Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation on timeshare and consumer disputes; these decisions are of direct practical value for businesses and consumers active in Alanya’s tourism and real estate market. In addition, the changes to the EIA competence certificate and RES/GES zoning procedures are among the technical regulations that construction and energy investors in the region should follow. If you are facing a specific legal situation, it is advisable to seek professional legal advice from a lawyer to assess how the current legislation applies to your particular circumstances.
Source: Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete).
Legal Notice: This text has been prepared for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. sophoshukuk.com makes no referral, guarantee or promise of outcome. Each case must be assessed on its own particular circumstances; for your specific dispute, please obtain professional advice from a lawyer.