Turkey Elevates Consumer Protection in Distance Agreements effective from 27 February 2015

The Consumer Law numbered 6502 (the "Consumer Law")¹ came into effect on 28 May 2014. The Consumer Law regulates the fundamental principles which apply to distance agreements. Several rights and obligations applying to consumers and sellers/service providers have also been regulated under the Regulation on Distance Agreements (the "Regulation")². These include the obligation to inform consumers prior to concluding distance agreements, rights of withdrawal, and other practical issues with respect to distance agreements. The Consumer Law adopts a series of European Council Directives, including the Directive 97/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 1997 on the Protection of Consumers in Respect of Distance Contracts ("European Directive"). Therefore, the European Directive may play an important role in interpreting the local Regulation.