Starting in January 2026, Serbia will introduce two new environmental taxes aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and aligning with EU climate policy.
The first measure is a national carbon tax of €4 per ton of CO₂, regulated through two new laws — one on greenhouse gas emission taxation and another on imports of carbon-intensive products.
At the same time, Serbia and other regional countries will also be subject to the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which applies a levy on imports from non-EU countries based on their carbon footprint.
According to Željko Marković from the Association of Energy Experts, the new carbon tax will primarily affect carbon-intensive industries such as fertilizer production, iron and steel, ferroalloys, cement, and electricity generation. The tax will be charged per ton of emitted CO₂, while other greenhouse gases will be converted into CO₂ equivalents.
Marković explained that Serbia is introducing the tax as a signatory of the Paris Agreement, noting that the goal is to encourage producers to invest in cleaner technologies and reduce emissions.
Regarding CBAM, he said the EU introduced it to level the playing field since EU-produced goods already include emission costs, while imports from countries without similar measures are often cheaper. Currently, EU importers pay around €85 per ton, which would be reduced by Serbia’s domestic €4 tax, making the effective rate €81 per ton.
He emphasized that the national carbon tax will offset part of the CBAM charge, helping Serbian exporters remain competitive and ensuring equal conditions for domestic and EU-made products.
