EU Commission confirms CBAM definitive phase to start without delay
EU Commission confirms CBAM definitive phase starts January 1, 2026, European Economic and Social Committee adopts opinion on Steel and Metals Action Plan, and Business for CBAM coalition launches to support strong carbon pricing.
At a Glance:
- EU Commission Confirms CBAM Definitive Phase to Start Without Delay
- European Economic and Social Committee Adopts Opinion on the EU Steel and Metals Action Plan
- Business for CBAM Coalition Launched
EU Commission Confirms CBAM Definitive Phase to Start Without Delay
On the official CBAM website, the European Commission has confirmed that the definitive period will begin without delays on January 1, 2026, urging companies to apply for authorized CBAM declarant status as soon as possible.
Moreover, the call for evidence the Commission opened on 28 August 2025 on key CBAM implementing regulations such as the emissions calculation methodology, free allocation adjustments, and carbon price reductions ended on 25 September 2025. The text of these implementation rules, including the benchmark values, is expected to be published in the first weeks of Q4 2025.
European Economic and Social Committee Adopts Opinion on the EU Steel and Metals Action Plan
On 17 September 2025, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted its opinion on the EU Steel and Metals Action Plan published by the European Commission on 19 March 2025.
In the document, the EESC addresses some of the CBAM-related points, calling for retaining free allowances for exports to non-EU countries lacking comparable climate commitments as a measure to prevent carbon leakage.
Moreover, the EESC calls for establishing robust default emissions values to discourage resource shuffling and uphold the environmental goals of the CBAM, as well as expanding the CBAM's scope to cover downstream, steel-intensive sectors. The EESC also supports the adoption of the Omnibus CBAM reforms to release SMEs from unnecessary administrative and cost burdens.
Business for CBAM Coalition Launched
SustainablePublicAffairs launched in September 2025 the Business for CBAM coalition, a coalition of businesses and associations committed to upholding the ambitions of the EU CBAM and consequently of the EU ETS.
The coalition calls for a strong CBAM, which, aligned with a robust EU ETS, provides the clear and stable carbon price signal businesses need to invest in clean technologies.
Their complete manifesto can be read here.
EU CBAM: 10 Common Misconceptions Manufacturers Should Avoid
The EU CBAM transitional phase has been a crucial learning journey for many stakeholders — from importers and non-EU manufacturers to public authorities. However, it has also brought its fair share of misunderstandings about how the mechanism actually works. We've published a blog post diving into 10 common misconceptions among manufacturers—breaking them down to help them avoid costly mistakes.