Özet:

The history of the free regions in Turkey dates back to the Ottoman Empire. Despite the work on free areas in the Republic's founding years, successful results were not achieved. In Turkey, the adoption of the free market economy, along with the decisions of 24 January, has increased the importance of the free regions for the country’s economy and in 1985 the Free Areas Act has made radical changes. In the Free Areas Act, free areas are defined as places where, although within the political borders of the country where they are located, more widespread incentives, advantages and exemptions are provided in terms of trade, tax and customs legislation, which are considered outside the customs line in terms of trade and trade activities. With the advantages and exemptions included in the definition of Free Areas; increasing foreign capital investments and exports, increasing the international competitive strength of local companies, promoting the development of export-oriented industries, increasing the foreign exchange entry into the country, helping to solve the problem of employment along with new business opportunities, achieving advanced production and management techniques, raising economic standards. In this study, the activities of the free regions established in Turkey, taking into account the establishment objectives of the free regions, and the level of achievement of these objectives, and the effectiveness of the regions in the direction of the economy, have been examined.