About Mersin Free Zone
The borders of the Mersin Free Zone were determined by the Decree of the Council of Ministers dated 04.03.1985 and numbered 85/9200. Its official opening was held on 03.01.1987 within the framework of the Free Zones Law No. 3218 dated 06.06.1985. The region was established on an area of 776 declares in the first stage and was expanded to 864 declares with the additions made in the process. It is operated in the "Build-Operate-Transfer" model. It is managed by the TR Ministry of Commerce - Free Zones, Overseas Investment and Services General Directorate.
Services
- The services given by MESBAŞ are essential;
- Closing the rental agreements of investment areas,
- Collection of rental fees for open areas and handing them over to a Special Account,
- Delivery of investment areas to investor user companies and applications,
- Providing ground research and geotechnical reports for Investor Users,
- Supply of electricity and fresh water both in investment and trading phases,
- General port operations,
- Handling services in the warehouses,
- Weighing services,
- Renting warehouses,
- Renting of Open Stocking Areas,
- Services in Social Facilities, Restaurants, buffets, and cafeterias,
- Establishing general green areas and maintenance,
- Renewal Maintenance and repair of the zone infrastructure,
- And other services to be requested by the User Companies.
Activity Fields
- PURCHASE AND SALE - Trade goods can be purchased-sold, stored, labeled, packed, and exhibited.
- PRODUCTION - Manufactured goods and raw materials and semi-products can be purchased-sold, stored, labeled, packed, and exhibited and their maintenance /repair can be performed in the area.
- STORAGE MANAGEMENT - The goods belonging to the users or others can be stored.
- RENTING A STAND - Ready-to-use stands can be rented
- SIMPLE OPERATIONS AND HANDLING
- BANKING - INSURANCE AGENCIES
- MOUNTING/DEMOUNTING - Mounting and demounting of aforesaid goods can be performed.
- MAINTENANCE/REPAIR - Maintenance and repair of aforesaid goods can be performed
Incentives & Benefits
- Those who execute their activity by a production license as well as the ones dealing with maintenance, repair, assembling, disassembling, handling, decomposition, packing, labeling testing, warehousing; and if they serve the companies not resident in Turkey and the goods on condition that no entry from free zones to Turkey and dispatch of those goods to a foreign country; their income from those activities will be exempted from income tax and corporate taxes that would be arising from their selling incomes, until the end of the fiscal year when Turkey becomes an EU member. But these companies have to pay to a special account.
- All other companies have to pay income and corporate taxes. They don't have to make payments to Special Accounts,
- If production companies export at least 85% of the FOB value of the goods they produce abroad, the salaries they pay to the crew will be exempted from income tax.
- Profits and incomes from the free zone can be transferred freely to any country including Turkey.
- Accrued dividends to their shareholders can be managed after the stoppage amount determined by the Ministry of Finance is deducted.
- Modern infrastructures, communication, and transportation are available in the free zone.
- The zone is established adjacent to Mersin International Port which is one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean and has its piers within the port.
- Companies operating in the zone may be 100% Foreign Companies, Joint ventures, or 100% Turkish Companies.
- After obtaining permission from The General Directorate of Free Zones investor users may transfer their rights to another user.
- The zone has significant importance as a geographical location with proximity to major International markets such as Middle-East, North African Countries, East and West Europe, Russia, and the Turkic Republics making it a center for foreign investors.
- Open areas with already built infrastructures can be rented at low prices.
- All personnel requirements for companies in production, service, and management fields can be sourced in the City of Mersin,
- Operation License periods:
-Investor Companies: 45 years for manufacturers, 30 years for others,
-Tenant companies: 20 years for manufacturers, 15 years for others.
- It is very easy to reach all airports and seaports, İnternational transportation routes and communication networks as well as social and cultural life from the zone.
Why Mersin?
- The zone is a center for foreign investors with proximity to major international markets (Middle East, North African countries, East and West Europe, Russian Federation, and the Turkic Republics).
- The zone is established adjacent to Mersin Port, which is one of the most important ports of the Mediterranean and it is the only one between The Turkish free zones with its own port.
- The zone is on a public-owned territory and the modern infrastructure was constructed by the government. All services within the zone are provided and executed by MESBAŞ Mersin Free Zone Founder and Operator Inc.
- The zone permits the production of all kinds of light industries (electronics, optics, machinery, spare parts, textiles, ready-made clothes, etc.) as well as all kinds of wholesale (purchase – sale) trades, packing, repacking, assembling, warehousing, repair, and maintenance.
- Also, the passage of goods from abroad to the zone or in-zone produced goods is allowed to be sent to the domestic markets without restrictions.
- All industrial and agricultural raw materials, semi-manufactured or fully manufactured goods in Turkey, can be sent to the zone at attractive export prices
- All personnel requirements for production companies, in service and the management fields can be acquired from Mersin Province. Investors will find a highly qualified workforce at a relatively low cost in comparison to other countries.
- The advantage of being the first free zone of Turkey gives Mersin Free Zone the highest know-how in comparison to other free zones.
Source: www.mesbas.com.tr