Serbia is preparing to introduce carbon credit trading through the Belgrade Stock Exchange, aiming to help domestic companies manage rising climate-related costs tied to exports to the European Union (EU), local media has reported, citing CEO Lazo Ostojić.
The exchange plans to develop a platform modeled on the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) that would allow firms to purchase carbon credits to offset their carbon dioxide (CO2) output and reduce exposure to charges under the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
Under CBAM, importers into the EU must pay a carbon price reflecting emissions embedded in certain products, with costs likely to be passed back to exporters in non-EU countries.
“Our idea is that, following the EU ETS model, our companies will be able to buy carbon credits to mitigate their risks,” Ostojić was quoted as saying.
Relevant: European Commission Unveils EU ETS2 Overhaul To Smooth 2027 Rollout
Carbon credits represent verified reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, typically equivalent to one metric ton of CO2, allowing buyers to compensate for their own emissions by financing environmental projects.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to modernize Serbia’s capital markets and integrate them more closely with regional and European systems.
After migrating to the Greek OASIS trading platform, the Belgrade exchange has begun a process of regional linkage with the potential to join the pan-European Euronext group, which operates eight exchanges.
Exchange officials expect interest not only from Serbian companies but also from firms across the Western Balkans facing similar regulatory pressures when selling to the EU.
The carbon platform is one of two planned digital initiatives, alongside a system for trading digital tokens, designed to expand market access and attract both domestic and foreign investors.
Serbia has also introduced emissions-related levies of €4 per ton of CO2 equivalent (CO2e), underscoring the country’s effort to align its regulatory framework with evolving European climate policies.
Read more: Serbia Prepares Legal Framework For Geological CO2 Storage
