EU CBAM Reforms Officially Approved; Final Benchmarks Delayed Until Early 2026
Council formally adopts Omnibus CBAM reforms introducing a 50t de minimis threshold; final CBAM benchmarks expected only in early 2026 following EU ETS Phase V updates.
At a Glance:
- EU CBAM Reforms Officially Approved
- Final List of CBAM Benchmarks Delayed Until Early 2026
EU CBAM Reforms Officially Approved
On September 29, 2025, the Council officially adopted the Omnibus CBAM reforms, completing the legislative process following Parliament's approval on September 10, 2025.
The most significant change introduces a new de minimis threshold of 50 tonnes per year per importer, alongside multiple additional reforms to simplify compliance for importers who remain in scope.
The next step is for the legislative act to be published in the EU's Official Journal. Once this happens, the reforms will come into force on the third day following publication.
Final List of CBAM Benchmarks Delayed Until Early 2026
EUROMETAL reports that the final list of CBAM benchmarks will not be available until early 2026, according to correspondence from Gerassimos Thomas, Director-General for Taxation and Customs Union at the European Commission.
The delay stems from the need to first update EU ETS benchmarks for Phase V (2026-2030), upon which the CBAM benchmarks will be based.
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