The European Commission has published the first quarterly price under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The cost of 1 ton of CO2-equivalent emissions is €75.36.
This information was revealed in updates on the European Commission’s website.
The EU asserts that the price of CBAM certificates corresponds to the average price of allowances within the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). This approach is intended to maintain a fair balance between what domestic producers pay for pollution and what importers pay when bringing their products and goods into the EU.
The average clearing price of EU ETS allowance auctions was used to calculate the price of CBAM certificates.
The published price will apply to all carbon-intensive imports brought into the EU between January and March 2026.
Publication schedule
During 2026, EU carbon prices will be calculated quarterly. Their values will be published within a week after the corresponding quarter ends. Accordingly, the price for the second quarter will be announced on 6 July, for the third quarter on 5 October, and for the fourth quarter on 4 January of the following year, 2027.
Starting in 2027, prices for CBAM carbon certificates will be published weekly.
CBAM is a kind of carbon duty that importers must pay when importing goods into the EU. The mechanism has been in force since 1 January 2026 and covers several sectors of the economy – metallurgy, the cement industry, fertilizer and hydrogen production. Importers bringing in goods are required to go through a special declaration procedure. The carbon price under CBAM determines the payment amount for emissions caused by the production of a given product.
EcoPolitic previously reported that the European Commission is currently considering a mechanism for the temporary suspension of CBAM. It is likely that this could be limited to two years for certain goods if they are affected by global crises.
