#CBAM – EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism – is live from 1 January 2026:
This means that those importing more than 50 tonnes of cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertiliser, as well as all importers of electricity or hydrogen need to have submitted an application or received an authorisation at the time of import. Importers who have not already submitted applications need to act fast now to avoid risking disruptions, delays, or penalties. Applications must be submitted prior to import and at the latest by 31 March 2026 for all concerned import companies.
The purpose of the CBAM is, in short, to end the absurdity of EU setting some CO2 emission cutting goals and then achieving them exclusively by an accounting trick where high-CO2 products are imported from countries that don’t care, as if CO2 emissions respected political borders. It also will make EU production of the same goods more competitive on the internal market which is currently throttled by high energy prices and the same CO2 emission targets.
https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/news/reminder-cbam-goes-live-1-january-2026-2025-12-23_en