The Regulation Amending the Regulation on Environmental Assessment ("Amendment Regulation") was published in the Official Gazette dated 26 June 2025 and numbered 32938 and entered into force as of its publication date.
The Amendment Regulation includes certain changes to the Regulation on Environmental Assessment ("Regulation"), which was published in the Official Gazette dated 29 July 2022 and numbered 31907.
The highlights of the Amendment Regulation are as follows:
- The expression "Environmental impact assessment review area" in subparagraph (ı) of the first paragraph of Article 4 of the Regulation has been amended as "Environmental impact assessment project area", and the environmental impact assessment ("EIA") project area has been clearly defined as the area limited by coordinates encompassing the main and auxiliary units of the project.
- The expression "It may also be announced to the public by means of hanging notices, announcements and similar methods" in Article 8 of the Regulation has been amended as "It shall also be announced to the public by the provincial directorate by means of displaying notices, announcements and similar methods." Accordingly, it has become mandatory to make an announcement regarding the initiation of the environmental impact assessment process.
With the Amendment Regulation, changes have been made to Annexes 1 and 2 of the Regulation, and the scope of projects requiring an EIA report has also been partially revised.
Impact of Annex Lists on EIA Requirement
The Annex-1 and Annex-2 lists determine whether a project in Türkiye is subject to the EIA process and to what extent.
- Projects listed in Annex-1 are considered to have significant environmental impact and must undergo a full EIA, including the preparation of a detailed report.
- Projects under Annex-2 require only a Project Introduction File, after which the authority decides whether a full EIA is necessary.
- Projects not listed in either annex are not subject to the EIA process at all.
Changes in the Annex Lists
- Crushing, screening, and washing plants with an annual capacity of 400,000 tons or more have been added to Annex-1, meaning a full EIA report is now mandatory for such facilities.
- In wind energy, land-based projects with 15 or more turbines, as well as all offshore wind farms, now fall under Annex-1. Projects with 1 to 14 turbines are included in Annex-2.
- Thresholds for solar power plants have been revised: projects over 25 hectares are listed under Annex-1, while those between 7.5 and 25 hectares fall under Annex-2. Rooftop and façade-mounted systems remain exempt from these requirements.
- The length threshold for electricity transmission lines under Annex-1 has been increased from 15 km to 50 km, easing obligations for shorter lines.
- The lower limit threshold for hard coal extraction projects in Annex-2 was reduced from 500 tons/day to 50 tons/day.
- For marble processing facilities, the annual capacity threshold has been reduced from 10,000 m³ to 5,000 m³, subjecting more small-scale plants to environmental review.
As a result, the overall scope of the list of projects subject to preliminary review and evaluation for environmental impacts has been amended.
The full text of the Amendment Regulation can be reached through this link. (Only Available in Turkish)
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
