How will the CBAM work in practice during the definitive period?
The CBAM will mirror the ETS in the sense that the system is based on the purchase of certificates by importers. The price of the certificates will be calculated depending on the weekly average auction price of EU ETS allowances expressed in € per tonne of CO2 equivalents emitted, and it will be made publicly available weekly by the Commission. Importers of goods will have to, either individually or through a representative, register to take part in the CBAM and buy CBAM certificates.
The certificates surrendered by the CBAM declarant shall correspond to the amount of embedded emissions of the relevant goods expressed in tonnes of CO2. In addition, there is a possibility to purchase certificates along the year.
CBAM certificates will be sold by Member States through a common central platform to authorised CBAM declarants established in that Member State. Only authorised CBAM declarants are allowed to purchase certificates. These certificates shall be surrendered via the CBAM registry by 31 May each year, 2027 the first time, for the embedded emissions of imports that occurred in year 2026.
The reporting for embedded emissions is expected to take place under similar conditions than during the transitional period, i.e. exclusively through an online portal, the CBAM registry.
Source: EC’s Questions and Answers on CBAM