The European Union has announced that the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered into force on January 1, 2026, following coordinated implementation across all EU member states. The CBAM registry has been fully integrated with national customs systems, TARIC and the EU Customs Single Window, allowing real-time data exchange, automated validation of CBAM declarants and uninterrupted release of goods for free circulation at the EU’s external borders.
Customs authorities now verify CBAM authorizations prior to the release of goods for free circulation, including enforcement of the 50-mt annual threshold. Simplified arrangements apply for SME importers in line with the Omnibus package.
Strong initial uptake by economic operators
During the January 1-7, 2026 period, more than 12,000 economic operators submitted applications for CBAM authorization. Over 4,100 operators obtained authorized declarant status either before or immediately after the start of the definitive phase.
In the same period, 10,483 import customs declarations containing CBAM goods were validated automatically and in real time through the integrated customs systems.
Steel dominates early CBAM-covered trade
In the first reporting window covering imports between January 1 and January 6, 2026, CBAM-covered trade volumes totaled approximately 1.66 million mt. Iron and steel products accounted for 98 percent of the declared volumes.
Aluminum represented around 0.3 percent of the reported volumes, fertilizers 1.2 percent and cement 0.5 percent. No measurable volumes were recorded for electricity or hydrogen during this period.
Turkey, China and India among leading origins
The main countries of origin for CBAM-covered imports in the initial reporting window were Turkey, China, India, Canada, Taiwan and Vietnam. On the importing side, the highest volumes of CBAM declarations were recorded in Belgium, Spain, Romania, the Netherlands, France and Germany.
