The Turkish Competition Authority has opened a wide-ranging investigation into a number of companies providing independent audit and certified public accountant services, as well as professional associations representing these firms. The probe aims to determine whether certain practices in the sector may have violated competition rules under Turkish law.
According to the authority, independent audit and certified public accountant services form a key component of the economic system by supporting transparency, reliability and the sustainable development of financial markets. These services play an important role in enabling investors, lenders, public authorities and other stakeholders to make informed decisions. Ensuring effective competition in these markets is therefore considered essential not only for maintaining service quality and reasonable pricing but also for safeguarding the integrity, independence and objectivity of financial oversight.
Following a preliminary examination, the Competition Board decided on 29 January 2026 to launch a formal investigation under Article 41(1) of the Act No. 4054 on the Protection of Competition. The investigation will assess whether companies active in audit and accounting services, together with the professional associations of which they are members, engaged in conduct that could restrict competition.
The authority is examining several potential types of infringement. These include allegations of price fixing and customer allocation in service markets, as well as possible agreements restricting competition in labour markets, such as no-poach arrangements or wage-fixing practices. The investigation will also assess whether firms exchanged sensitive information relating to both service and labour markets and whether professional associations adopted decisions that could have anticompetitive effects.
The probe covers a broad group of firms operating in Türkiye’s audit and accounting sector, including major international networks such as Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PwC, as well as numerous domestic firms and other international networks active in the country. The investigation also includes the Istanbul Chamber of Certified Public Accountants and the Union of Chambers of Certified Public Accountants of Türkiye.
The decision to initiate the investigation was adopted by the Competition Board under decision number 26-03/91-M and has been formally announced to the public.