Contracts & International Transactions in Türkiye
Short answer: A commercial contract should identify who must do what, by when, for what price and with what consequence if performance fails. In an international transaction, language, currency, tax, delivery, authority, governing law, jurisdiction and enforceability require particular attention.
Contract services
- Drafting and review of sale, supply, service, distribution and consultancy agreements.
- Property, construction and project agreements.
- Share purchase, investment and shareholder documentation.
- Settlement, repayment and security agreements.
- Powers of attorney, confidentiality and framework agreements.
- Cross-border contract risk and dispute-clause review.
Parties, authority and subject matter
The correct legal name, registration, address and signing authority of each party should be verified. The goods, services, property or rights must be described sufficiently to measure performance. Annexes, specifications and schedules should be incorporated clearly.
Price, currency and payment
Contracts should state total price, taxes, currency, exchange mechanism, account, instalments, conditions and evidence of payment. Advance payments may require security or defined milestones. Payments to a person outside the contract should not be made without understanding the legal basis.
Delivery, acceptance and change
Deadlines, place of delivery, inspection, acceptance and defect notification should be workable. A change procedure should identify who can approve changes and how price and time are adjusted. Informal messages should not unintentionally displace the signed bargain.
Default, termination and dispute clauses
Default clauses should distinguish delay, defective performance, non-payment and impossibility. Cure periods, termination, repayment, interest, penalties and damages must operate coherently. Governing law and court or arbitration clauses should be selected for actual enforceability, not copied from a foreign template.
Bilingual documents
Two-language contracts should state which version prevails if wording differs. Translation should follow the agreed legal meaning, not merely literal vocabulary. Where a Turkish authority or court is involved, a Turkish version and sworn translation requirements may become important.
Documents for review
- Current draft and every annex.
- Commercial proposal and negotiated term sheet.
- Party and signing-authority records.
- Payment, delivery and technical specifications.
- Relevant correspondence and earlier versions.
- Desired outcome, risk priorities and transaction timetable.
Related: Corporate and Commercial Law, Civil and Commercial Litigation and Debt Recovery.
Frequently asked questions
Can an English or German contract be valid in Türkiye?
Language alone does not determine validity, but Turkish proceedings may require reliable translation and some transactions require particular forms.
Which version should prevail?
The contract should say so explicitly and both versions should be reviewed for the same legal effect.
Can a penalty clause always be enforced?
Not automatically. Validity and adjustment depend on the parties, transaction and applicable mandatory rules.
Should the dispute clause be copied from another agreement?
No. It should match the parties, assets, governing law and realistic enforcement route.
About the office: Attorney Enes Nergiz has practised since 2019 and is registered with Antalya Bar Association number 6281. Enes Nergiz Law Office has one physical office in Alanya. Antalya and Istanbul are service areas for selected files, not branch offices.
Reviewed: 8 September 2026. General Turkish-law information, not advice for a particular case. Current legislation is available through Mevzuat.