What is CBAM?
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM — Regulation (EU) 2023/956) is the EU’s carbon-pricing mechanism for imports of carbon-intensive products. CBAM applies a carbon cost on imported goods equivalent to the cost EU producers pay under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), preventing “carbon leakage” (production migration to lower-carbon-cost jurisdictions). Transitional period began 1 October 2023; full financial obligations from 1 January 2026.
CBAM scope
- Initial sectors: cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity, hydrogen.
- Expansion under review: potential addition of organic chemicals, polymers and refined petroleum products.
- Downstream products: certain semi-finished and finished products containing covered materials.
How CBAM works
- Transitional phase (Oct 2023 – Dec 2025): quarterly reporting of embedded emissions; no financial obligation.
- Definitive phase (from Jan 2026): importers (“authorised CBAM declarants”) purchase CBAM certificates corresponding to embedded emissions, at the weekly EU ETS price minus deductions for carbon costs already paid in origin country.
- Verification: embedded emissions data must be verified by accredited verifiers.
Türk ihracatçıları için pratik etki
Türk çelik, alüminyum ve çimento ihracatçıları CBAM’in en doğrudan etkilediği sektörlerdir; AB’ye yapılan ihracatların önemli kısmı bu kategorilerde. Türk şirketleri AB ithalatçıları için emisyon verisi sağlamak zorunda — bu süreç şirket içi karbon muhasebesi sistemi gerektirir. Türkiye’nin kendi karbon fiyatlama mekanizması (ETS) tasarımı CBAM eşdeğer karbon maliyet düşümünü mümkün kılmayı amaçlar.
Do: establish accurate embedded-emission tracking for EU-bound product lines; engage verifiers early before 2026 deadline.
Don’t: assume CBAM cost can be absorbed without supply-chain re-engineering — for high-carbon products, the cost gap can erase margin.