Commerce

Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu has vowed Turkey will soon launch a specialized commodity exchange, adding that the warehousing responsibilities of Turkey's Grain Office (TMO) would be transferred to the private sector gradually and the office would play a watchdog role in regulating prices. 

Johnny Depp tops the cast of stars headed to Venice this week for what is shaping up as something of a watershed edition of the world's oldest film festival.
 

BELGRADE - Vehicles owned by various government bodies and agencies are currently on sale through public bidding at Palata Srbija in Belgrade.

According to head of the property affairs of the Property Directorate Ljiljana Matovic, the sale on Thursday involves 40 vehicles out of the total of 510 that were put up for auction through government decisions from March 14 and 17.

With the title “Sun against Greek bankruptcy”, the German tabloid Bild presented an idea by two CDU MPs in Germany to boost Greece’s state coffers by urging German holiday-makers to … demand receipts during their vacation!

 Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci has said Turkey imports almost everything, even traditional Turkish carpets, while noting the steps the ministry has taken to safeguard domestic industry. 

"Even traditional Turkish carpets are made in China. If we import even sickles used in agricultural production, we are over the line...We need to reverse this trend," he said. 

BELGRADE - The Customs Administration stated on Wednesday that the customs offices will work regularly during the New Year and Christmas holidays, and branch offices in the interior that collect customs duties on goods will have an on call status.

Turkish electronics and domestic appliances maker Vestel has asked the government to impose emergency import tariffs on mobile phones, according to a filing from Turkey published by the World Trade Organization on late Dec. 8.

The online commerce sector is growing and maturing in Greece, especially in the business-to-consumer section. Consumers using the Internet for their purchases are on the rise and companies investing in online sales are being rewarded by buyers, the annual survey of the Electronic Trade Laboratory of the University of Athens (ELTRUN) has found.

A stunning 1881 masterpiece by Edouard Manet sold for $65 million at auction in New York on Nov. 5, a record for a work by the French impressionist artist.
      
"Le Printemps," which the auction house Christie's had valued at $25-30 million, depicts a famous actress of the day and was exhibited in 1882 to critical acclaim while Manet was one of the most famous living artists.

The European Commission’s planned 9 percent anti-dumping decision on trout imports from Turkey has alarmed Turkish fishermen, who are worried about losing their biggest market.

Turkey is now preparing to offer a number of alternative solutions by November, when the planned decision is expected to take effect, said Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker.