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Strategic Investment Incentives in Türkiye and Tax Reduction Rates: 7 Benefits
Written by Başak Yüksel, Project and TURQUALITY® Specialist
Reviewed by Ahmet Ersoy, Co-Founder
- Related service Investment Incentive Consulting
- The basics How to get an Investment Incentive Certificate
Contents5 sections
Strategic investment incentives in Türkiye and the Tekirdağ European Free Zone
Strategic investment incentives in Türkiye, with their tax reduction rates, are the most comprehensive package on offer for large projects. They target projects that cut the current account deficit, raise technology intensity and reduce reliance on imports. In 2026, for manufacturers planning high value-added production, these support items can cut costs by up to 50%. The rates that apply depend above all on the size of the investment, how far it replaces imports and how many jobs it creates. Applying with a sound feasibility report shortens the payback period considerably.
Tekirdağ, through its European Free Zone (ASB) in Çorlu, is one of the main bases for this programme. The zone draws global investors with its logistics advantages and additional exemptions. When projects under the strategic investment scheme are combined with free zone advantages, the result is some of the most competitive production sites in Türkiye. At FIX, we back Tekirdağ’s industry with incentive management to international standards and run your procedures with the ministries in Ankara.
Who qualifies, and what the package includes
Decision No. 9903 replaced "Strategic Investment" status with the Strategic Incentives programme. In 2026 the minimum fixed investment is TRY 125 million for high-technology products and TRY 251 million for other investments (TRY 62.7 million for green and digital transformation). Criteria such as added value and import dependency also apply. Strategic investment incentives give investors more than a corporate tax reduction: they add support that protects liquidity, such as customs duty and VAT exemptions. For a plant in the Tekirdağ European Free Zone, these advantages combine with customs union rules to strengthen export capacity considerably.
Corporate tax reduction and the investment contribution rate
What investors watch most closely is the offset against tax payable. Under strategic investment incentives, the Strategic Incentives programme sets the investment contribution rate at 40% and the tax reduction rate at 60%. That takes a very large tax burden off your company in both the investment and the operating period.
The strategic investment incentive package at a glance
The table below shows the main support under strategic investment incentives and what each item adds in the Tekirdağ European Free Zone:
| Support item | Under strategic investment | Extra free zone advantage |
| Customs duty | Exempt | 100% exempt (outside the customs line) |
| VAT exemption | 0% VAT on machinery and equipment | Exempt on purchases of goods and services |
| Tax reduction | 60% tax reduction rate (contribution 40%) | Full corporate tax exemption possible |
| Interest support | Interest rate cut on TRY and foreign currency loans | Easier access to international finance |
| Social security premiums | Employer’s share supported for 8 years (12 years in Region 6) | Combines with withholding tax advantages |
To use these incentives in full, design every stage of the project with technical rigour. For details of the process, see our Investment Incentive Consulting page, and follow official updates on the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Industry and Technology Incentive Portal.
Why a free zone investment in Tekirdağ adds up
The Tekirdağ European Free Zone is more than an industrial estate: it is an export base next to İstanbul, with direct links to ports and the motorway network. Strategic investment incentives have a multiplier effect for companies that invest here. Plants making technology products, in particular, can bring down labour costs. They combine the free zone’s income tax withholding incentive for staff with the tax reductions in their investment incentive certificate.
How to apply for an incentive certificate for a strategic investment
The application is filed through the E-TUYS system, with a technical analysis of the project, a breakdown of import figures and details of the production technology. To approve strategic investment incentives, the Ministry’s experts must be convinced that the project can replace imports. FIX prepares this complex technical file for Tekirdağ manufacturers in the form the ministries in Ankara expect, which helps speed up approval.
Bottom line: tax-advantaged exports from Türkiye to Europe
Strategic investment incentives and tax reduction rates are among the most powerful tools open to investors in Türkiye’s industrial transformation. Combine them with the global trade advantages of the Tekirdağ European Free Zone and both your investment cost and your tax burden fall. That opens the way to producing tomorrow’s technologies in Tekirdağ. We bring our administrative experience in Ankara to your investment and run the journey with you.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Question: Can an investment in a free zone use free zone exemptions and an Investment Incentive Certificate at the same time?
Answer: Yes. To avoid claiming the same cost twice, though, deciding which expense goes under which incentive calls for professional planning of strategic investment incentives.
Question: Is strategic investment status limited to certain sectors?
Answer: There is no general restriction, but priority goes to projects that replace imports and make products where domestic output falls short.
Question: Is there a minimum investment for the Tekirdağ European Free Zone?
Answer: For the Strategic Incentives programme, the minimum fixed investment in 2026 is TRY 125 million for high-technology products and TRY 251 million for other investments. Under regional incentives, the 2026 minimum is TRY 15.1 million in Regions 1 and 2 and TRY 7.5 million elsewhere.
Working with FIX
Based in Ankara, FIX runs this process from start to finish. For investors in the Tekirdağ European Free Zone, we analyse strategic investment incentives and tax reduction rates in detail. From the capital, we manage every administrative step accurately and in full, from certificate approval to closure.
To back your investment with the strongest incentives the state offers, and to learn more about how we work, visit our Services page and get in touch with our team.