Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği

What Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği does

Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği (TBB), also referenced in English as the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, is a statutory public association and the sole local government union representing all Turkish municipalities. Founded in 1945 as a public benefit association in municipal administration, TBB operated for 57 years under that status before gaining mahalli idare birliği (local government union) status via Cabinet Decision 2002/4559 on August 21, 2002. Law No. 5355 on Local Government Unions, enacted May 26, 2005, and TBB's Charter approval by the Ministry of Interior on September 28, 2005, formalized its exclusive authority to represent Turkish municipalities nationally and internationally. All metropolitan, provincial, and district municipalities in Turkey are natural members under this legal framework.

TBB's core offerings sit across five program lines: (1) the LOCALINTERNational International Local Governance Training Programme, running annually since 2012 and scaling to 300+ participants from approximately 60 countries by 2024; (2) the Belediye Akademisi (Municipal Academy) online training platform, delivering packaged courses on candidate civil servant training, SGK legislation, promotion examinations, urban planning (imar), and road safety; (3) the Town Twinning-II: Twinning for a Green Future programme, an EU-funded EUR 2.5 million grant scheme linking Turkish and EU municipalities on climate and environment projects; (4) the Engelsiz İletişim Çağrı Merkezi (Barrier-Free Communication Call Centre), a video interpretation service for hearing-impaired citizens contacting municipalities; and (5) the Uluslararası Gelişmeler ve Faaliyetler E-Bülten periodic bulletin and a digital service portal at bilgi.tbb.gov.tr. Operationally, TBB runs four physical sites — Ankara headquarters, the Istanbul-based Strategic Research Center (Stratejik Araştırma Merkezi), the Ankara Guest House (Konuk Evi), and the Brussels Office — supported by 51-100 employees and partnerships with the EU, C40, METROPOLIS, Eurocities, ICMA, the Council of Europe Congress, NALAS, and TDBB.

The business model is non-commercial: TBB is funded through statutory membership contributions from all Turkish municipalities under Law No. 5355, with no disclosed pricing or fee schedule. Leadership is elected through assembly meetings; Vahap Seçer, Mayor of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, was elected TBB President on May 2, 2026 after serving as Vice President from July 2025. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, financial statements are routed through government channels, and there is no equity ownership structure. The organization's role is coordinative and representational rather than transactional.

Name

Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği

Legal name

Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği

Website

https://tbb.gov.tr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği is the sole statutory local government union representing all Turkish municipalities nationally and internationally, funded by mandatory membership contributions and providing training, EU cooperation, legal guidance, and capacity-building programmes since 1945.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921), Executive and Legislative Offices, Combined (92114), International Affairs (92812), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Democratic Governance & Public Administration Reform (BPADAGAJ), Local Education Authorities & Municipal Education Offices (EDADABAD), Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Local government union
• Municipal training programs
• Municipal coordination services
• International municipal cooperation
• Municipal capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Çankaya

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Contributions: As Turkey's sole local government union under Law No. 5355, TBB is funded through membership contributions from all Turkish municipalities. All municipalities are natural members of the union.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği is the sole national local government union established under Turkish Law No. 5355, representing all Turkish municipalities at national and international levels. It provides training programs (Municipal Academy, LOCALINTERNational), legal guidance on municipal legislation, international cooperation facilitation, EU-funded project coordination, and accessibility services for hearing-impaired citizens contacting municipalities.

Product overview

Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği (TBB/Union of Municipalities of Türkiye) is a public association serving Turkish municipalities rather than a traditional product company. Its offerings include: LOCALINTERNational—an international training programme for university students on local governance; the Municipal Academy—an online training platform offering various packages for municipal employees; the Barrier-Free Communication Call Centre—an accessibility service for hearing-impaired citizens; ID Card Application services; and the EU-funded Town Twinning Programme for climate cooperation. These programs collectively support municipal capacity building, international cooperation, and service delivery to Turkish local governments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LOCALINTERNational: International Local Governance Training Programme organized annually since 2012 to promote local diplomacy and share Turkey's local governance experience
• Belediye Akademisi (Municipal Academy)
• Stratejik Araştırma Merkezi (Strategic Research Center)
• Engelsiz İletişim Çağrı Merkezi (Barrier-Free Communication Call Centre)

Products and services

• LOCALINTERNational (International Local Governance Training Programme) International training programme organized annually by TBB since 2012 to promote local diplomacy and democracy, sharing Türkiye's local governance experience. Provides university students with theoretical training, field visits, and socio-cultural activities on Turkish municipal systems.
• Belediye Akademisi (Municipal Academy) Online training platform offering various educational packages for municipal employees including exam preparation, SGK legislation, candidate civil servant training, urban planning (imar), and road safety courses.
• Engelsiz İletişim Çağrı Merkezi (Barrier-Free Communication Call Centre) Video call centre for hearing-impaired individuals providing interpretation services via a dedicated phone number (0542 639 85 06) allocated by TBB, enabling communication between hearing-impaired citizens and municipality personnel.
• Kimlik Kartı Başvuru (ID Card Application Service) Online service portal for identity card applications, providing digital access to municipal administrative services.
• Town Twinning Programme Between Türkiye and EU-II: Twinning for a Green Future EU-funded grant programme with a total budget of EUR 2.5 million, supporting climate change and environment-based projects between Turkish and EU local administrations to strengthen town twinning relationships.
• Uluslararası Gelişmeler ve Faaliyetler E-Bülten (International Developments and Activities E-Bulletin) Periodic electronic bulletin sharing global developments in the field of local governments, helping Turkish municipalities stay informed about international trends and best practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ international participants trained through LOCALINTERNational program (2012-2024)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• C40 Cities Climate Leadership GroupcoreOthersInternational network connecting major cities committed to climate action. TBB facilitates Turkish municipalities' participation in C40 networks and climate initiatives.
• METROPOLIS - World Association of Major MetropolisescoreOthersGlobal network of metropolitan cities. TBB represents Turkish metropolitan municipalities in this international association.
• EurocitiescoreOthersEuropean network of major cities. TBB facilitates Turkish municipalities' engagement with European city networks.
• ICMA - International City/County Management AssociationcoreOthersProfessional association for city and county managers. TBB connects Turkish municipalities with ICMA resources and best practices.
• European UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBB coordinates EU-funded programs including Town Twinning between Türkiye and EU-II (EUR 2.5 million), supporting climate change and environment projects between Turkish and EU local governments. Works with EU Delegation to Turkey, Ministry of Foreign Affairs EU Presidency, and Central Finance and Contracts Unit.
• Council of Europe - Congress of Local and Regional AuthoritiescoreOthersEuropean institutional body for local democracy. TBB maintains cooperation through LOCALINTERNational program participation.
• Türk Dünyası Belediyeler Birliği (TDBB)coreOthersUnion of Turkish World Municipalities. TDBB unites municipalities from Turkic-speaking countries and regions.
• NALAS - Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East EuroperegionalOthersRegional network of local government associations in Southeast Europe. TBB facilitates Turkish municipalities' regional cooperation.
• Town Twinning EU MunicipalitiesregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean local authorities participating in Town Twinning-II: Twinning for a Green Future program including municipalities from Lithuania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Malta, and others.
• Vilayetler Birliği (Union of Provinces)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in EU-funded programs including Town Twinning-II. Cooperates on local government matters with TBB.
• Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change - Directorate General of Local AuthoritiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry responsible for local governments. Cooperates with TBB on EU projects and local government policy.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs - EU PresidencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body coordinating Turkey's EU accession process. Partners with TBB on EU-funded municipal programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR): Pan-European umbrella association of national local government associations, directly comparable to TBB as the apex representative body of municipalities. TBB is a member network partner and operates in the same coordination/representation space.
• Association des Maires de France (AMF): French national association of mayors and intermunicipal bodies; a like-for-like peer given TBB's mayor-led governance model and municipal coordination mandate.
• Deutscher Städtetag: German association of cities, comparable as a national-level municipal association providing legal advice, training, and EU-level representation — directly overlapping TBB's functional offering.
• United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG): Global network of local and regional governments; TBB engages with UCLG through its international cooperation work and they share the same membership-based municipal representation model.
• Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias (FEMP): Spanish national federation of municipalities and provinces, structurally similar to TBB as the umbrella association representing all Spanish municipalities at national and EU level.
• Local Government Association (LGA, UK): National membership body representing English and Welsh local authorities. Comparable as a statutory national municipal association providing training, legal guidance, and political representation to all member councils.

Emerging players

• C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group: Climate-focused city network whose green-transition agenda closely mirrors TBB's EU-funded Twinning for a Green Future programme; a peer in the climate-municipal cooperation niche.

Broad incumbents

• International City/County Management Association (ICMA): Global professional association for local government managers. TBB is already a network partner; ICMA is a broader incumbent in municipal capacity building and training that overlaps TBB's Municipal Academy.
• Eurocities: European network of major cities; TBB channels Turkish city participation through this network, making it an overlapping peer in the EU municipal cooperation space.

Regional players

• Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS): Regional network of local government associations across Southeast Europe. TBB is an active participant, comparable as a regional municipal-association counterpart operating in neighbouring geographies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TBB
• Facebookfacebook.com/TBB1945
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tbb1945

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği