Official Gazette / July 7-13, 2025

The Ministry of Treasury and Finance has set the severance pay ceiling at 53,919.68 TL, effective from July 1, 2025. (Circular on Financial and Social Rights (Serial No: 5))

With a decision by the BRSA and a communiqué from the CBRT, conditions for restructuring credit card debts and the maximum interest rate have been regulated. In debt restructuring, the interest rate will not exceed the monthly reference rate. The restructuring of consumer loans and credit cards will be extended up to 48 months. Those who cannot pay their periodic debt in part or in full without the minimum payment requirement will be able to benefit from this if they apply within 3 months, and previous restructurings can also be restructured again. However, the card limit will not be increased until half of the restructuring debt is paid. (Communiqué on Amending the Communiqué on Maximum Interest Rates to be Applied in Credit Card Transactions (No: 2020/16) (No: 2025/16))

At a time when Italy, following the US, is preparing to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, the Climate Law No. 7552 was adopted by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). The law includes regulations covering the main headings of zero emissions, combating and adapting to climate change, green transformation, and sustainable development, and imposes various obligations on the public and private sectors. With the law, the Presidency of Climate Change (İDB) has been established. The legal infrastructure for a national-level Emissions Trading System (ETS) aimed at capping greenhouse gas emissions has been provided. This system will ensure that the limitation of greenhouse gas emissions is regulated by increasing costs. It has become mandatory for businesses operating within the scope of the ETS to obtain a greenhouse gas emission permit from the İDB within three years. At the end of this period, the İDB can extend the permit acquisition process for an additional two years. It has been regulated that a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism can be established for embedded greenhouse gas emissions in products imported into Turkey. EPİAŞ will be responsible for the operation of the ETS and carbon markets. Voluntary Carbon Markets, where carbon credits are bought and sold on a voluntary basis, will be established. In case of failure to fulfill obligations, administrative sanctions and administrative fines with an upper limit of 50 million TL are envisaged. The law regulates a pilot implementation period for the ETS before it is fully implemented with a temporary article, and during this period, administrative fines to be applied in case of non-compliance with the obligations in the Law will be accrued with an 80% discount.

With a regulation published by the Ministry of National Education, schools that accept students from the top 1% bracket in Anatolian, Science, and Social Sciences High Schools have been accepted as project schools. On April 8, 2025, the Ministry of National Education had removed more than 20 thousand teachers, some of whom were working in project schools, from their current positions. From now on, it will be essential for students to stay in dormitories in project schools, even if they live in the same province. A requirement has been introduced for foreign language courses to be taught by teachers who have completed higher education in countries where that language is spoken, for one advisor to be assigned for every 8 students, and for high school students to present a scientific article and project before graduating. (Ministry of National Education Project Schools Regulation)

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has canceled the principle decision No. 704 dated 15.04.2005 due to differences in interpretation experienced in the last twenty years and has established a new principle decision. From now on, an archaeological inventory will be prepared first for new structures, then the plan will be approved, and infrastructure works can be carried out with the permission of the board. For existing structures, provided that they are registered, the structures can be repaired and used, and old structures can be subjected to reconstruction with a board decision if they can be proven. (Principle Decision on Protection and Usage Conditions of Urban Archaeological Sites dated 27.06.2025 and numbered 3705)

With a communiqué published by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, it has been decided that vehicles that have been banned from traffic and for which no application for return has been made within 6 months will be sold by the administration. If an application for return is made, there must be no objection to the return, and the expenses incurred up to that point must be paid. General Communiqué on National Real Estate (Serial No: 422)

With Presidential Decree No. 10039, unprocessed minerals as well as processed minerals have been included in the import regulation authority of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance.

With Presidential Decree No. 10040, the upper limit of the principal amount that can be deferred without collateral in the installment of tax debts has been increased from 50,000 TL to 250,000 TL. This amount also covers debts to the Social Security Institution (SGK), municipalities, and special provincial administrations. In other words, a new restructuring plan for tax/SGK debts seems to be planned in the near future.

With Presidential Decree No. 10041, withholding tax rates applied to income obtained from investment funds and interest and profit shares paid to participation accounts, including deposits and currency-protected accounts, have been increased by 2.5-3 percentage points.

With Presidential Decree No. 10045, it was decided to privatize 37 real estates owned by the Treasury of Finance, most of which are located in Istanbul/Beyoğlu.

The export of chicken eggs has been registered by the Ministry of Trade. (Communiqué on Amending the Communiqué on Goods Subject to Registration for Export (Communiqué No: Export 2006/7) (Export: 2025/2))

A requirement for actual possession of the share certificate and notification to the Central Securities Depository has been introduced by the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Treasury and Finance for the ownership of bearer share certificates. Book approval periods have been increased from 15 to 30 days. A requirement has been introduced to present the share/board of directors decision/general assembly meeting/negotiation books and other books to the notary together with the old ones for renewal. (Communiqué on Amending the Communiqué on Commercial Books)

With the amendment enacted by Presidential Decree No. 10058, the period for applying to a family physician has been extended from 6 months to 1 year. Citizens who do not apply to their current family physician within this period cause a performance deduction from the family physician. However, the current periods have been kept constant for women between the ages of 15-49 and people with chronic diseases. (Regulation on Amending the Family Medicine Contract and Payment Regulation)