Implementation of the Transitional Provisions of the Regulation on the Generation and Use of TR QR Code in Payment Services

REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
CENTRAL BANK

HEAD OFFICE
We request that the following reference be quoted in replies:

9 December 2021

E-TCMB.21561705-501.07

Subject: Regarding the Implementation of the Transitional Provisions of the Regulation on the Generation and Use of TR QR Code in Payment Services

KEP

To Distribution Places merkezbankasi@hs02.kep.tr

The Regulation on the Generation and Use of TR QR Code in Payment Services (Regulation), which sets forth the procedures and principles as well as the principles and rules to be complied with for QR codes to be used in payment services within the scope of the Law on Payment and Securities Settlement Systems, Payment Services and Electronic Money Institutions dated 20/6/2013 and numbered 6493 (Law), was published in the Official Gazette dated 21/8/2020 and numbered 31220 and entered into force.

Within the scope of the Regulation, QR codes to be used in payment services in our country must be generated in compliance with the Regulation, the TR QR Code Principles and Rules annexed to the Regulation, and, if any, the relevant TR QR Code Technical Principles and Rules Guide, and the integrity of the TR QR Code must be preserved until the payment transaction is executed.

In order to ensure the aforementioned compliance, within the scope of the transitional provisions added to the Regulation;

• Payment service providers that provide the possibility of payment by QR code shall make the QR codes used and their related infrastructures compliant with the Regulation, the TR QR Code Principles and Rules, and, if the payment service they offer requires the execution of a transaction through a payment system, with the Technical Principles and Rules Guide related to that payment system, by 31/12/2021 at the latest,

• Payment service providers that offer businesses the possibility to accept payments via payment cards or payment systems operated by our Bank shall, by 31/12/2021 at the latest, establish at the businesses with which they have agreements the infrastructure that enables payment to be made using the dynamic QR code method offered by the business as set out in the TR QR Code Principles and Rules,

ZAA / HY

This document has been signed with a secure electronic signature.

Verification Address: https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/tcmb-ebys

Hacı Bayram Mah. İstiklal Cad. No:10 PK:06050 Ulus Altındağ - ANKARA Telephone No: (312) 507 50 00, Fax No: (312) 507 56 40 e-Mail: iletisimbilgi@tcmb.gov.tr, Web: http://www.tcmb.gov.tr Kep Address: merkezbankasi@hs02.kep.tr, Trade Registry Number: 269, Swift: tcmbtr2a

For Information: HANDE YAZICI
Assistant Specialist
Telephone No: 507 79 33

To Distribution Places dated 9.12.2021 written,
page 2 of the letter numbered

• If businesses use different devices and applications in addition to the payment infrastructure offered by payment service providers when accepting payments via payment cards or payment systems operated by our Bank, the owners of the additional devices and applications used shall also take the necessary measures to establish, by 31/12/2021 at the latest, the infrastructure that enables payment to be made using the QR code method offered by the business as set out in the TR QR Code Principles and Rules

is required.

Furthermore, the Bank has been authorized by the Regulation to extend the aforementioned periods in a manner not exceeding one year, and, in cases where different devices and applications are used in addition to the payment infrastructure offered to businesses, to request payment service providers to suspend the payment infrastructure services they offer to businesses that do not make efforts without providing a reasonable justification for taking the necessary measures to establish the TR QR Code infrastructure.

In this context, regarding the implementation of the transitional provisions of the Regulation, it has been communicated to our Bank by institutions and organizations, based on various justifications, that it is not possible to ensure compliance by 31/12/2021 and that they have requests for an extension of time on this matter.

In this sense, although in the process all relevant parties, particularly payment service providers, were warned on various occasions against possible congestion and delays that may occur and were sought to be guided not to wait for the deadlines envisaged in the regulations regarding the developments, it has been observed in practice that there are still problems regarding compliance with the said transition periods.

In this framework, taking into consideration the pandemic conditions experienced, the relatively limited number of POS-ECR-Cash Register manufacturers with which payment service providers work together and the fact that many payment service providers work with the same manufacturers, and the possibility that high costs may arise due to the limited time for transition to TR QR Code as a result of the work on developments related to TR QR Code in the sector being left to the last period, in order to ensure that payment service providers can comply with the transitional provisions of the Regulation;

• The payment service provider has completed the developments it can make internally without depending on third parties in order to enable payment to be made with TR QR Code,

• The payment service provider has made the necessary initiatives to enable the developments that must be made by third parties to be carried out in order to enable payment to be made with TR QR Code,

Hacı Bayram Mah. İstiklal Cad. No:10 PK:06050 Ulus Altındağ- ANKARA Telephone No: (312) 507 50 00, Fax No: (312) 507 56 40 e-Mail: iletisimbilgi@tcmb.gov.tr, Web: http://www.tcmb.gov.tr Kep Address: merkezbankasi@hs02.kep.tr, Trade Registry Number: 269, Swift: tcmbtr2a

For Information: HANDE YAZICI
Assistant Specialist
Telephone No: 507 79 33

To Distribution Places dated 9.12.2021 written, page 3 of the letter numbered

• The main reason why payment with TR QR Code cannot be made until the end of the compliance period introduced by the Regulation is that the development work required to be carried out by third parties other than the payment service provider has not been completed

It has been decided to grant an additional period until 30/6/2022, valid for cases where the conditions are met, and we request that you inform the members of your Union on the matter and that you do what is necessary.

CENTRAL BANK OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
Head Office

EMRE KARPUZ
DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER

ZEYNEL ABİDİN AVCI
DIRECTOR

ZAA / HY

This document has been signed with a secure electronic signature.

Verification Address: https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/tcmb-ebys

Hacı Bayram Mah. İstiklal Cad. No:10 PK:06050 Ulus Altındağ - ANKARA Telephone No: (312) 507 50 00, Fax No: (312) 507 56 40 e-Mail: iletisimbilgi@tcmb.gov.tr, Web: http://www.tcmb.gov.tr Kep Address: merkezbankasi@hs02.kep.tr, Trade Registry Number: 269, Swift: tcmbtr2a

For Information: HANDE YAZICI
Assistant Specialist
Telephone No: 507 79 33