Our Chairman of the Board, Mehmet Altay YEGİN's article titled "Five Reasons Not to Have an AEO Certificate" was published in the newspaper Nasıl Bir Ekonomi

 Most people will think that the title of the article is written incorrectly. Because the main point is to emphasize the added value that the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certificate will bring to businesses. However, identifying why this certificate is still not obtained contains multiple challenges. The reasons why foreign trade professionals do not have an Authorized Economic Operator certificate may vary. To name a few: deficiencies in quality and application documents, and facility security risk criteria investments are at the top. However, it should be noted that the Authorized Economic Operator certificate, within the framework of the Regulation on the Facilitation of Customs Procedures, is valid indefinitely, provided that suspension and cancellation conditions remain reserved. Cost-reducing factors and the investments made by companies in their operations are expected to amortize themselves many times over the years. Data from companies already holding AEO certificates also point to this. To briefly recall the historical process of the Authorized Economic Operator status document in our customs legislation: This practice, carried out to facilitate international trade, was introduced in Turkey under the name "Authorized Economic Operator Status" (YYS) in 2013. With the Regulation on the Facilitation of Customs Procedures published in the Official Gazette on 10.01.2013, AEO certificates began to be issued. As of the first half of 2025, the number of companies holding AEO certificates has reached 766. The number of businesses wishing to obtain this status is increasing day by day. The opportunities lost by companies lacking an AEO certificate can be summarized as follows:

1. Simplified procedures: o Export Simplified Customs Clearance (inspection and sealing at the company's facility), o Import Simplified Customs Clearance (inspection and delivery at the company's facility), o Acceptance of partial or lump-sum guarantees instead of separate guarantees for each transaction, o Authorization to issue and visa A.TR Movement Certificates by exporters themselves, o Authority to issue and approve Invoice Declarations, EUR-MED, and EUR.1 documents, o Possibility to declare customs with missing documents, provided they are completed within one month, o Benefit from on-vehicle procedures regardless of goods type.

2. Facilitation by type of control: o "GREEN" line where goods are not subject to inspection in imports/exports, o Use of Green Line for on-vehicle procedures. 3. Security and safety facilitation: o Summary declarations with reduced mandatory information, o Priority border crossing.

4. Macro and micro advantages: o Recognition as an AEO in countries with mutual recognition agreements, o Recognition as a reliable company in the market, o Elimination of costs such as unloading, waiting, etc., o Advanced logistics planning, o Fewer cases of damage to goods, o Lower supply costs, stronger supplier cooperation, o Fewer shipment delays.

5. Prestige and international trust: o Preferred as a supplier, recognized as trustworthy globally. Of course, every foreign trade professional wants faster procedures and reduced costs. Considering the overall benefits and returns, it is worth noting that the AEO is a certificate that reduces costs, amortizes investment expenses, and saves companies money in the long run. If businesses believe the benefits provided under these facilitation measures are insufficient and therefore do not apply for an AEO, it is clear that this is not an accurate assessment. In conclusion, after recalculating the investment cost and value-added factor, it is believed that the desire to hold a prestigious certificate like the AEO, which is offered indefinitely to foreign trade professionals, should be reconsidered.

Mehmet Altay YEGİN

Chairman of the Board International

Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Association