The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered into force on 1 January 2026, with the CBAM Registry linked to national customs import systems to allow real-time checks during import procedures.
Customs authorities now enforce checks on CBAM authorisations before goods are released for free circulation, including monitoring a 50-tonne threshold, the European Commission announced on Wednesday.
CBAM is the EU system that applies carbon-related requirements to certain imported goods.
More than 12,000 economic operators had submitted an application for CBAM authorisation by 7 January 2026, it said.
More than 4,100 operators had obtained “authorised declarant” status in the EU before and immediately after 1 January 2026, the statement added.
Between 1 January and 7 January 2026, 10,483 import customs declarations covering CBAM goods were validated automatically and in real time through integrated customs systems, according to the same update.
National authorities reported stable processing times, supported by harmonised digital workflows.
Early trade flows and main routes
Imports declared in the first reporting window — from 1 to 6 January 2026 — covered 1,655,613 tonnes of CBAM goods, with iron and steel accounting for 98% of the total, the statement said.
Fertilisers made up 1.2%, cement 0.5% and aluminium 0.3%, while electricity and hydrogen were listed as 0%.
The main countries of origin for CBAM-covered imports included Turkey, China, India, Canada, Taiwan and Vietnam.
The highest volumes of CBAM declarations were recorded in Belgium, Spain, Romania, the Netherlands, France and Germany.
Economic operators that have not yet applied for CBAM authorisation were urged to submit applications via the CBAM Registry.
