Location tax from the AKP: Double the penalty for non-payment!

While price hikes are hitting everything from A to Z, the economic administration has added a new one to its 'tax' moves.

BUSINESSES WILL NEED MINISTRY PERMISSION TO SHARE LOCATIONS

The Law on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and amendments to certain other laws are being changed. With this amendment, private companies and individuals will be required to obtain permission from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change to use geographic data belonging to Turkey.

PENALTY FOR UNAUTHORIZED LOCATION SHARING!

Those who share locations will pay an annual permit fee ranging from 1,750 TL to 1 million 750 thousand TL. Those who share without permission will be fined twice the fee. The annual revenue target is approximately 30 billion TL.

According to the report by Ferit Parlak from Dünya newspaper, the permit fee determined for foreign companies will be higher, and the calculation will be based on the business's financial data.

Administrative fines equal to twice the permit fee will be applied to businesses that do not apply for a permit. However, paying the fine will not eliminate the obligation to obtain the permit. Additionally, companies with natural gas distribution licenses will be exempt from the obligation to obtain geographic data permits.

REFLECTIONS ON DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN COMPANIES

The new regulation is receiving criticism that it may lead to inequality between foreign firms and domestic businesses. In particular, the fact that large foreign firms such as Google, Apple, and Yandex will pay the same permit fee as domestic firms raises concerns that it could create unfair competition for domestic companies. Furthermore, concerns are being voiced that domestic companies will be subject to stricter audits regarding the collection and sharing of data, while these audits may be looser for foreign companies.

This regulation aims to monitor the production and sharing of geographic data more systematically and to prevent redundant data production.

THERE IS NO EXAMPLE OF THIS IN THE WORLD

Alim Küçükpehlivan, President of the domestic software company Başarsoft, stated that the omnibus bill currently being discussed in the Turkish Grand National Assembly will bring an additional burden to all businesses, especially small tradespeople.

Speaking to Sözcü, Küçükpehlivan said that there is no example of the proposed regulation anywhere in the world, and that in no other country are businesses charged a license fee or fined for sharing their location. Stating that the license fee for foreign firms such as Google, Apple, and Yandex has been reduced, Küçükpehlivan pointed out that this would create an unfair competition problem for domestic firms.

News Source: 12punto