Legislation in Turkey: down with the Decrees

After decades of delay, Law No. 6769 on the Protection of Industrial Property Rights (the IP Law) entered into force on January 10, 2017, effectively abolishing Decree No. 556 on the Protection of Trademarks; Decree No. 551 on the Protection of Patents; Decree No. 554 on the Protection of Industrial Designs; and Decree No. 555 on Geographic Indications (collectively referred to as the Decrees). The Council of Ministers adopted the Decrees in 1995 to fulfil the obligations arising from the Customs Union Agreement signed in the same year.