Turkey Regulatory News

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change has announced via its official website that the long-awaited procedures and principles under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization an...

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change has announced via its official website that the long-awaited procedures and principles under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (KKDİK) regulation have been finalized.

Draft versions of the communiqué had previously been shared with the public, and feedback from industry stakeholders was collected. It was known that the document had reached its final stage and was awaiting signature. The communiqué is expected to be published on the Official Gazette in the coming days.

The highlights of the circular can be listed as below:

• Selection of Lead Registrants:

  • Lead companies will be determined by the end of 2025.
  • If no volunteer LR is found, an appointment will be made under the guidance of TOBB  (Turkish Union of Chambers & Commodity Exchange).
  • SIEF members will have 30 days to respond, and decisions will be based on a simple majority.

• Responsibilities of Lead Companies:

  • For substances without a submitted registration dossier, the lead company must share data gap analysis, tonnage bands, and contractual details with SIEF and seek renewed approval.
  • If approval is not obtained, the lead company will lose its status, and a new lead will be appointed.

• Temporary Registration Dossier:

  • If the LR cannot access existing data, it must submit a temporary registration dossier by March 31, 2026.
  • Member companies must submit their temporary dossiers by September 30, 2026.

• Pre-SIEF (Pre-registration) Deadlines:

  • For substances already placed on the market, the pre-registration deadline is October 31, 2025.
  • For substances placed on the market after this date, a 30-day pre-MBDF window will apply.

• New Working Groups:

  • Two main groups will be established within the Ministry: Chemicals Advisory Group and Chemicals Science Group, to ensure scientific and strategic process management.

Türkiye's first comprehensive climate legislation, the Climate Law, has been approved by parliament. This new regulation introduces fundamental changes in greenhouse gas emission reduction and cl...

Türkiye's first comprehensive climate legislation, the Climate Law, has been approved by parliament. This new regulation introduces fundamental changes in greenhouse gas emission reduction and climate change adaptation.

Core Objective of the Law

The Climate Law establishes the legal and institutional framework covering greenhouse gas emission reduction and climate change adaptation activities, including related planning and implementation tools, revenues, permits, and oversight.

Emissions Trading System (ETS) - Carbon Credits

One of the most significant innovations of the law is the establishment of an Emissions Trading System (ETS) based on the principle of setting upper limits on greenhouse gas emissions. This system will:

• Encourage greenhouse gas emission reduction through the buying and selling of allowances

• Include national and international market-based mechanisms

• Be organized through primary and secondary markets

Carbon Market Board Established

The Carbon Market Board, to be established under the leadership of the Minister of Environment, Urban Planning and Climate Change, will be responsible for the operation of the ETS. The Board will have decision-making authority on critical issues such as the distribution of allowances under the ETS, the amount of allowances to be put up for sale, free allowance decisions, offset ratios, and strategies for the international carbon market.

Industry Impact: Incentives and Penalties

The law provides comprehensive incentive mechanisms to support green transformation and climate-friendly investments. Both public and private sectors will be able to benefit from financial support for projects with greenhouse gas reduction and climate change adaptation potential. Revenues from relevant institutions may also be used to promote green capital instruments, develop insurance instruments, and reduce investment risks.

Additionally, according to the new regulation, companies that fail to fulfill their obligations may face significant administrative fines. Penalties vary according to the category of non-compliance and can range from 120,000 TL to 2.5 million TL.

Pilot Implementation and Transition Period

A pilot period is envisioned before the ETS implementation begins. During this period, penalties imposed on companies that fail to fulfill their obligations will be applied with an 80% discount. Within three years of the law's entry into force, companies within the ETS scope will be required to obtain greenhouse gas emission permits. When necessary, this period may be extended by up to two years.

Implications for the Chemical Sector

The Climate Law represents a watershed moment for Türkiye's chemical industry, which is traditionally energy-intensive and carbon-heavy. Chemical companies will need to:

• Prepare for mandatory emission monitoring and reporting

• Develop strategies for carbon allowance management

• Invest in cleaner technologies to reduce compliance costs

• Consider carbon pricing in their long-term business planning

The three-year transition period provides crucial time for the chemical sector to adapt to the new regulatory environment while the pilot phase offers an opportunity to test systems with reduced penalties.

The Revolving Fund Directorate of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change has published the KKDIK registration fees for 2025. The fees show significant increase of up to 60 % com...

The Revolving Fund Directorate of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change has published the KKDIK registration fees for 2025. The fees show significant increase of up to 60 % compared to 2024. On average, the fees have increased by 44%, with a maximum increase of 60% in Turkish Lira (TL).

Current Fee Ranges

Fees are determined by company size, tonnage band, and whether the submission is joint or individual. The pricing strongly incentivizes companies to opt for joint registration in order to minimize costs.

• Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) jointly registering substances in the 1-10 tonnage band will pay fees starting from 260 TL/€ 7.

• Large enterprises registering substances in the 1000+ tonnage band will face fees up to 61,890 TL/€ 1,684.

Joint Submission Fees for 2025 (in Euros): 

Equivalent Fees in Turkish Lira (₺):

Important Reminder

If you haven't yet completed the pre-registration of your substances, it is crucial that you do so in order to join the Substance Information Exchange Forum (SIEF) and benefit from joint registration opportunities.

For more details on the updated KKDIK registration fees for 2025 and revised deadlines, please contact GPC.

The Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchange (TOBB) have met with the key companies from the industry to discuss the future o...

The Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchange (TOBB) have met with the key companies from the industry to discuss the future of KKDIK and the implementation of the updates that were published in December 2023. The outcome of the privately held meeting is reportedly a draft of the long-awaited circular on procedures and principles.

Draft Circular in the Works

According to the draft, new deadlines for late pre-registrations (LPRs) may be proposed, and new rules would be set for the election of the lead registrant (LR) as well data sharing, two issues on which the Ministry has already received considerable feedback from the industry in public meetings. New rules are expected to set clear boundaries and steps for the election mechanism as well as joint submission.

Work Groups to Improve Support

It is also proposed that new work groups will be formed to put into practise the collaboration between TOBB and the Ministry, as proposed in the 2023 regulation updates. These work groups will be expected to resolve ongoing disputes as well as answer questions to help registrants, something that was difficult for the Ministry to find the time and capacity to do over the past years. leading to much criticism of the Ministry.

The discussion is expected to continue throughout the month of November with a view to finalize the draft and eventually publish the circular before the end of the year.

On February 12th, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change in Türkiye made an announcement regarding Safety Data Sheets from the Chemicals Help Desk.   Key points from thi...

On February 12th, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change in Türkiye made an announcement regarding Safety Data Sheets from the Chemicals Help Desk.

Key points from this announcement:

• You can continue to use existing safety data sheets compliant with previous regulations unless there are changes in substance-related information or processes.
• Depending on the requests of your downstream-users, safety data sheets may need to be reviewed.
• Attention should be paid to ensuring that the classification in safety data sheets is similar to the classification in KKDIK registration files.
• All newly prepared safety data sheets must comply with the KKDIK regulation.
• If your existing safety data sheets are not compliant with previous regulations, they must be updated as soon as possible.
• If you have any doubts about the completeness of your safety data sheets in any of the above, reviewing them would be the best course of action.

The Revolving Fund Directorate of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change has disclosed the registration fees for KKDIK in 2024. Compared to 2023, the fees have increased by an a...

The Revolving Fund Directorate of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change has disclosed the registration fees for KKDIK in 2024. Compared to 2023, the fees have increased by an average of 44% and a maximum of 60% in TL.

Currently, registration fees range from 180 TL/€6 (for SME companies jointly registering 1-10 tonnage) to 43,000 TL/€1315 (for large companies individually registering 1000+ tonnage substances). The fees vary based on the tonnage band, company size, and whether it is a joint or individual submission. This underscores the importance of companies opting for joint registration.

If you haven't completed the pre-registration of your substances, please do so to be part of the Substance Information Exchange Forum (SIEF) and to engage in joint registration.

For more details on the 2024 KKDIK registration fees and updated deadlines under KKDIK, please contact GPC.

KKDIK, also known as Turkey REACH, was enacted on June 23, 2017, as part of the EU Adaptation policy. This regulation focuses on the registration, evaluation, authorization, and restriction of chemica...

KKDIK, also known as Turkey REACH, was enacted on June 23, 2017, as part of the EU Adaptation policy. This regulation focuses on the registration, evaluation, authorization, and restriction of chemicals to ensure the protection of human health and the environment.

Registration for KKDIK began on January 1, 2021, and the deadline for registration was set on December 31, 2023. However, on 23 December 2023, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Türkiye announced an official postponement of the KKDIK deadline. The main objective of this announcement for KKDIK is to determine different deadlines for tonnage bands like how the UK is experiencing with UK REACH. 

Key points from this announcement:

• A new paragraph was added to Article 12 (joint submission of data by multiple registrants) giving responsibilities to TOBB (Union of Chambers & Commodity Exchange) regarding the election of lead registrants, data and cost-sharing, joint registration process by future procedures and principles to be published by the Ministry.

• Amends the beginning date in Article 24 (inquiry) and deadline in 25 (SIEF formation) of the regulation, extending them from "31/12/2023" to "31/12/2030."

• Extends the termination date of SIEFs to 31/12/2032 from 31/12/2025.

• Deadline for pre-registration to be removed and amended in a way that references timelines specified in procedures and principles to be published by the Ministry

• New transitional article for new separate deadlines

  • Substances above 1000 tons, substances above 100TPA that are Aquatic Acute 1 or Aquatic Chronic 1 (H400,H410), and substances above 1TPA that are CMR category 1A or 1B having the registration deadline of 31/12/2026

  • Substances above 100TPA have a deadline of registration by 31/12/2028

  • Substances above 1TPA have a deadline of registration by 31/12/2030

• Evaluation, inclusion in the authorization list, and creation of candidate substances list for authorization to begin by 31/12/2026

At GPC, we are always ready to act on your behalf for your compliance needs with our worldwide team of experts and professionals to ensure the safety of your trade in Türkiye.

Stay tuned for our webinar on the update, explaining each change in more detail and how it will affect the registration process.