Turkey introduces new environmental management and consultancy regulations

The Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change has published new regulations regarding environmental management services in the Official Gazette. The amendments introduce mandatory service frequencies for businesses based on their classification. Companies listed in EK-1 must receive environmental management services for at least two working days per month, while those in EK-2 or other categories must receive at least one day of service per month.

To address economic shifts and new requirements, the regulation establishes a minimum price period for environmental consultancy services. These fees will be calculated based on the net minimum wage, with specific ratios applied to EK-1 and EK-2 categories, plus a percentage based on the number of environmental permits or licenses held. Additionally, environmental consultancy firms are now required to obtain Professional Competence Certificates (BTB) from relevant professional chambers affiliated with TMMOB to ensure industry consistency.

Consultancy firms face increased reporting responsibilities. They must document any environmental non-compliance found within a business in their monthly activity reports. If a business fails to initiate the official application process to rectify a detected violation within 30 days, the consultancy firm is obligated to report the situation to the relevant authorities. Failure to comply with these new environmental management requirements may result in administrative fines under Environmental Law No. 2872.