The European Commission has published the first quarterly price for CBAM certificates

The European Commission has officially set the reference price for the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) certificate for the first quarter of 2026 at €75.36 per ton of CO2. This is stated in a press release from the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD).

This announcement provides the first clear indication of the actual cost of the mechanism for importers.

Importers of goods subject to the CBAM will be required to purchase the relevant certificates starting in February 2027 to cover their imports from the previous year (2026). In 2026, the price will be calculated as the average quarterly price of allowances set at EU ETS auctions. Starting in 2027, the EC will calculate and publish weekly prices.

The following quarterly prices will be published according to the following schedule:

• June 6 (for the second quarter),
• October 5 (third quarter),
• January 4, 2027 (fourth quarter).

As a reminder, ahead of the price publication, the European Steel Association (EUROFER) called for further refinement of the CBAM before the publication of CO2 prices, demanding that the mechanism’s scope be expanded, loopholes be eliminated, and support for decarbonization be accelerated.

In particular, the association proposes to strengthen the traceability of steel, reject simplified procedures for exempting certain goods and countries from the mechanism, align CBAM rules on international credits with the EU ETS system, and abolish the exemption for processing procedures within the customs territory.