The European Commission is working on providing preliminary criteria for its carbon emissions regulatory mechanism ahead of the final approval of the CBAM criteria in early 2026, an EC representative who is part of S&P Global Commodity Insights told Platts.
"We strive to ensure that the final list of CBAM criteria will be available as soon as possible. Specifically, we really expect that they will be adopted only in early 2026," said the representative of the commission. "Nevertheless, the commission is working to provide additional recommendations to interested parties as soon as possible using preliminary criteria."
The official declined to provide more detailed information on how such preliminary criteria would function.
This move is due to increased pressure on the EC to provide more detailed information around emissions calculations, default values and carbon costs. Businesses are eagerly awaiting these details, which will help importers assess the costs of CBAM for their trade and its impact on global supply chains.
The baseline value is the reference value used to calculate emissions associated with imported goods and determine the value of CBAM certificates. It is calculated based on the average greenhouse gas emissions of 10% of the most efficient installations in the EU for this product.
Industry reaction
The CBAM benchmarks will be based on the relevant indicators of the EU emissions trading system to adequately reflect the carbon market of the bloc.
"In order to adequately reflect the EU ETS, the CBAM benchmarks will be based on the relevant ETS benchmarks. These ETS criteria are currently being updated for the period 2026-2030," the official added.
However, industry groups have expressed skepticism about the preliminary criteria. The European Association of Non-Integrated Metal Importers and Distributors said it would be "very surprised if the Commission intended to publish preliminary benchmarks," noting that the EC had previously confirmed that CBAM benchmarks would only be available in early 2026.
"In the meantime, the commission is working on a methodology that will ensure that the CBAM benchmarks are consistent with the ETS benchmarks, and we expect this methodology to be brought to the attention of stakeholders," EURANMI said in a statement to Platts. "But as far as we understand, this will not include preliminary or indicative baseline values."
CBAM
