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Turkey plans its own carbon border mechanism in its updated Green Deal Action Plan
Turkey plans to build its own carbon border adjustment mechanism. The updated Green Deal Action Plan for 2026 to 2030, published in the Official Gazette on 10 November 2026, schedules an impact assessment and draft legislation for a national mechanism in 2027, aligned with the country's new emissions trading system.
What does the updated plan include?
The plan, published by the Ministry of Trade, covers 11 policy areas, 41 objectives and 142 actions, according to SteelOrbis, spanning carbon pricing, industrial decarbonisation, the circular economy, renewable energy and green finance. It was first introduced in 2021 in response to the European Green Deal and has been revised for EU climate and trade rules, Turkey's Climate Law and the national emissions trading system (ETS). Anadolu Agency reports that a new Green Deal Working Group, chaired by the Trade Ministry, will monitor implementation, with annual progress reports from the institutions responsible for each action.
When would a Turkish CBAM arrive?
- 2027: an impact assessment and a legislative framework for a national border carbon mechanism aligned with the Turkish ETS. Carbon Herald quotes the plan as calling for an "impact assessment and prepare legislation for a national border carbon mechanism during 2027".
- 2027 to 2028: a data mechanism similar to the EU CBAM registry, to assess sectoral emissions intensities, carbon costs and the product groups a national mechanism could cover.
- 2027 to 2030: a methodology and a list of sectors at high risk of carbon leakage.
The national mechanism would sit alongside the Turkish ETS. The ETS Regulation took effect on 27 August 2026 under the Climate Law in force since 9 July 2025, and Carbon Herald reports that a pilot phase covering major industrial and energy installations is under way.
Why does this matter for EU importers?
Turkey is the EU's second-largest supplier of CBAM-covered products, and the EU takes about 47% of Turkey's exports of those products, SteelOrbis reports. Under the EU CBAM, which entered its compliance phase on 1 January 2026, importers bringing in 50 tonnes or more of covered goods a year must declare the embedded emissions and surrender CBAM certificates, with the first deadline on 30 September 2027 for 2026 imports, according to the International Carbon Action Partnership.
The plan commits Turkey to strengthen emissions monitoring, reporting and verification, to align verification under its ETS with the EU CBAM, and to expand domestic verification and accreditation capacity. Our EU CBAM guide for business covers what importers report.
What is Turkey asking the EU for?
The plan says Turkey will keep negotiating with the EU on default emissions values and on the treatment of renewable electricity. According to SteelOrbis, it will seek recognition in CBAM emissions calculations for electricity from unlicensed renewable facilities and for YEK-G, Turkey's national renewable energy guarantee system.
