In today's Turkey where supporting the industrial production, which is important for Turkish economy, has become an obligation on the way of 2023 targets, Turkey Clothing Manufacturers' Association (TGSD) has launched the works in order to ensure that the textile and apparel manufacturers are classified as in the Turquality program and gain the identity of qualified manufacturer through "Qualified Manufacturer Certificate Program". With this project, it is expected that 800.000 unregistered employees in the garment sector would be registered with the incentives to be provided in Turkish industry. It is estimated that the unregistered employment figure would increase if the other sectors are considered in terms of this situation. One of the targets of this project is to make Turkish textile and apparel exports, which has reached 30 billion dollars of export volume, more qualified and more powerful.
Qualified Manufacturer Certificate Program
The Turkish chambers and commodity exchanges and Ege, Uludağ, İstanbul Exporters' Associations were included this project which is conducted with the coordination of TGSD and Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Development, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Customs and Trade. The parties came together with Nihat Zeybekçi, Economy Minister, and discussed the works to be done for the sector by organising a workshop and they decided to prepare a draft law.
Saying that Turkish industrialists will be supported and there will be a qualified production process with "Qualified Manufacturer Certificate Program", Şeref Fayat, Chairman of TGSD, stated that this project would be an example for the other productive sectors. Pointing out to the importance of the productive sectors for the 2023 targets of Turkey and employment chances of the new generation, Mr. Fayat said that: "There are serious difficulties in the industrial sector engaged in production in Turkey. For example, 91 % of the 53 thousand garment manufacturers consist of small firms which employ 1-19 people. These companies refrain from increasing their employment because of the fact that they could encounter many problems. The companies creating employment encounter many different problems. Many manufacturers, which employ more than 19 people, are in two minds about stopping the production. We aim that 10% of the firms would be supported and the other firms are encouraged in order to benefit from this support by creating more employment chances.
How the Firms Will Benefit From This Support?
It is planned that the firms can benefit from all kinds of support and encouragement provided by the state through the document given within the scope of the "Qualified Manufacturer Certificate Program" prepared for the textile and garment firms which employ more than 50 people. The scope of the supports, which include supporting R&D and P & D activities, tax advantage, supporting the employment, will be clearly identified in the coming period. It is planned that the draft law would be prepared in a year and it would be enacted and implemented after TGSD and the Ministry of Economy detail the works.
Practices in the World
In the world where the competition is ruthlessly experienced, the countries could offer various practices in order to support the manufacturers. China is the best example for this situation. Conducting works about acquiring the identity of qualified manufacturer in the textile and garment sectors, one of the important sectors, became the main topic in Turkey in order that these sectors could be better in the competition. It is expected that the competition would increase after textile and garment sectors acquire the identity of "qualified manufacturer" and then they would continue to work with the world's leading brands such as GAP, H&M, Mango and Zara for many years.
