Intellectual Property Law In Turkey

Abstract

Turkey protects trademarks, patents, utility models, designs and geographical indications principally under Industrial Property Law No. 6769. Copyright remains subject to the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works No. 5846. A foreign business should not treat intellectual property as a single registration exercise. Each asset has different conditions for protection, ownership rules, maintenance requirements and enforcement routes. This article explains the current framework, corrects common assumptions about registration and the five-year acquiescence rule, and sets out a practical strategy for filing, monitoring, licensing and enforcement in Turkey.

Introduction

Industrial Property Law No. 6769 entered into force on 10 January 2017 and consolidated the principal rules for trademarks, geographical indications, designs, patents, utility models and traditional product names. Copyright is governed separately by Law No. 5846. The distinction matters because the source,