The European Commission has published the first official price for Carbon Border Offset Mechanism (CBAM) certificates, set for the first quarter of 2026 at €75.36 per tonne of CO₂. This milestone represents an extremely important a transition in the implementation of this instrument, where what started as just a reporting obligation is turning into a mechanism with real and tangible financial consequences.

From reporting to real costs During the transition phase from 2023 to 2025, companies were primarily required to report the embedded emissions in their imported goods, which required data collection and cooperation with suppliers, but the financial impact has so far been only indirect. The publication of the first price radically changes this situation. This initial amount is based on the average price of allowances in the EU ETS and will serve as a benchmark for future costs associated with CBAM certificates. In practice, this means that importers will have to pay carbon intensity will now be directly reflected in the financial burden.

Why is the first prize important today? Although the obligation to purchase CBAM certificates will only come into effect in 2027, the published price is already highly relevant for the market today. It brings several strategic advantages:

• Provides specific reference point for calculations of future carbon costs.
• It enables organizations to carry out realistic scenario modeling.
• Supports informed investment and resource acquisition decisions.
• Helps businesses prepare in advance for impacts on their margins and pricing.

What steps should companies take? Organisations importing goods covered by CBAM into the EU (such as steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen and electricity) should take immediate action once the first price is published. Experts recommend focusing on these four key areas:

1. Exposure quantification: It is necessary to map import volumes and the emissions associated with them.
2. Financial impact modeling: Applying the benchmark of €75.36/tCO₂ will help companies accurately understand their potential future costs.
3. Supplier involvement: Companies should work to improve the quality of the data they collect and start actively looking for low-carbon alternatives.
4. Integration into the overall strategy: CBAM issues must be firmly embedded in the company's purchasing, pricing and overall decarbonization strategies.

A look into the future The CBAM price will be published on a quarterly basis. This means not only an increasing level of transparency for companies, but also an ever-increasing pressure to act and adapt to the new rules of the game. As consultants point out, the key question for companies is no longer, whether CBAM will affect their business, but rather, how much a how soon.