CBAM timeline and deadlines: every key date from 2026 to 2027 and beyond

The dates that define your CBAM compliance

1 Jan 2026

Definitive CBAM regime starts — authorisation required to import CBAM goods

31 Mar 2026

Art. 17(7a) deadline — apply by this date for provisional importing rights

30 Sep 2027

First annual CBAM declaration due — covering calendar year 2026 imports

The complete CBAM calendar

1 January 2026: definitive CBAM regime begins

The transitional period ends. From this date, only authorised CBAM declarants may import CBAM goods. Art. 5 authorisation is mandatory.

31 March 2026: Art. 17(7a) provisional importing cut-off

If you submitted your authorisation application before this date, you may import provisionally while awaiting NCA approval. After this date, no provisional importing is possible.

1 February 2027: CBAM certificates go on sale

Art. 20: the CBAM Registry begins selling certificates. Price mirrors the EU ETS auction (Art. 21). This is when you start purchasing certificates to meet your quarterly obligations.

31 March 2027: first quarterly certificate check

Art. 22(2): end of Q1 2027. You must hold certificates covering ≥50% of embedded emissions from January–March 2027 imports.

30 September 2027: first annual CBAM declaration

Art. 6: your first annual declaration covers all CBAM imports from calendar year 2026. Surrender the verified number of certificates matching total embedded emissions.

Quarterly deadlines continue: Q2, Q3, Q4 2027 and beyond

Art. 22(2): the 50% cumulative certificate balance check repeats at the end of every calendar quarter, ongoing from 2027.

Three deadline mistakes importers should avoid

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MISTAKE 1 — MISSING THE 31 MARCH 2026 CUT-OFF

Not applying before the Art. 17(7a) deadline

This is the most consequential deadline. If you miss it, you cannot import CBAM goods at all until your authorisation is fully granted. Apply early.

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MISTAKE 2 — CONFUSING TRANSITIONAL AND DEFINITIVE DATES

Using 2023–2025 transitional period dates for the definitive regime

The transitional period (October 2023 – December 2025) had different reporting requirements. The definitive regime from January 2026 has binding obligations with certificates and financial penalties.

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MISTAKE 3 — NOT PLANNING FOR THE FIRST CERTIFICATE PURCHASE

Ignoring that certificates go on sale only from 1 February 2027

You import CBAM goods throughout 2026 but cannot buy certificates until February 2027. Plan your Q1 2027 certificate purchase to cover both 2026 annual declaration and Q1 2027 quarterly balance.

What you receive: 12 deliverables in one ZIP file

CBAMCheck generates a complete CBAM compliance dossier — not a single PDF. 12 structured documents delivered as a ZIP file, each citing the specific article of Reg. (EU) 2023/956 it addresses.

Scope Assessment

Determines whether your imports fall under CBAM and which obligations apply. Art. 2 + Art. 2a of Reg. (EU) 2023/956.

Embedded Emissions Calculation

Calculates embedded emissions per tonne using default values from Implementing Reg. (EU) 2025/2621 or your actual data. Art. 7 + Annex IV.

CBAM Certificate Estimation

Estimates the number of certificates required and the projected cost, adjusted for free allocation (Art. 31).

Draft CBAM Declaration

Pre-structured declaration following Art. 6(2) requirements: quantities, emissions, certificates, carbon price.

Carbon Price Documentation

Documents any carbon price paid in the country of origin for Art. 9 deduction. Pre-formatted for the CBAM Registry.

Annex V Record Template

Record-keeping template compliant with Annex V requirements. Ready for verifier review.

Verification Preparation

Structured preparation for Art. 8 verification by an accredited verifier. Annex VI checklist included.

Supplier Letter Template

Model letter in English requesting emissions data and installation information from your third-country supplier.

Compliance Calendar (.ics)

Importable calendar with quarterly certificate obligations (Art. 22(2)), annual declaration deadline (30 September), and key milestones.

Executive Summary

One-page overview of your CBAM exposure: cost estimate, timeline, risk areas. Ready for management or board reporting.

Interactive HTML Dashboard

Standalone HTML dashboard with 2026–2032 projections reflecting free allocation phase-out (Art. 31). Works offline, no subscription.

Compliance Calendar Document

Visual calendar of all CBAM deadlines, reporting windows and certificate purchase schedules.

Generated from your input data, in your browser. No data leaves your device.

Estimate your CBAM exposure

Select your sector and country of origin. CBAMCheck searches through 13,566 official records from Implementing Reg. (EU) 2025/2621 and shows the result with the 2026 mark-up included.

Quick CBAM Calculator

Average European Commission default values per sector and country of origin.

Sector

Country of origin

Tonnes/year

Default emissions (tCO₂e/t)—

Mark-up 2026 (10%)—

Total emissions with mark-up—

CBAM rate 2026 (2.5%)—

Estimated certificates—

This is a quick estimate. Your complete dossier includes projections through 2032, an editable interactive dashboard, and 10 PDF documents.

Generate your complete dossier — €299 →

Average values per sector from Implementing Reg. (EU) 2025/2621. The complete dossier uses the exact CN code of your goods, not the sector average. Estimated EU ETS price: €75/tCO₂e.

What CBAM compliance costs with each alternative

Feature	Free tool	CBAMCheck	SaaS Enterprise
Price	Free	€299 (one-time)	€1,990–€4,800/year
Model	Generic template	12 professional deliverables	Annual subscription
Default values	Not included	13,566 (Reg. 2025/2621)	Partial
Interactive dashboard	No	HTML, 7-year projection	Platform-locked
Supplier letter	No	English template included	Variable
Art. 8 verification prep	No	Included	Variable
Privacy	Variable	100% browser-side	Data on server
Multi-company support	No	Via Professional Pack	Yes

Choose your licence

1 DOSSIER

€299

/ dossier

10 professional PDF documents
Interactive HTML dashboard (2026–2032 projection)
13,566 official default values integrated
English supplier letter template
Importable .ics calendar
10 regenerations · 30 days
1 licence = 1 importing company

Get your individual licence →

PROFESSIONAL PACK

€1,999

70 generations · 1 key

70 generations with a single key
70 complete dossiers (12 deliverables each)
Switch product between generations
Ideal for customs brokers
For consultants billing CBAM compliance

70 interactive HTML Dashboards × product (projection 2026–2032). Real-time tables and charts with variable calculations. No technical training required. Fully intuitive.

🔒 Data stays on your computer. No information shared with third parties.

Request Professional Pack →

How your licence works

1 licence = 1 importing company. You pay €299 for the dossier you generate now. The licence is linked to your company name + EORI.

Up to 10 regenerations of the ZIP to correct data, adjust goods or update technical information.

30-day editing window from first activation. Within that period you can regenerate the dossier as many times as needed (up to 10).

The downloaded dossier is yours forever. It does not expire and is not tied to any subscription. The 10 PDFs, HTML dashboard and .ics calendar remain functional offline.

The EU CBAM portal ASKS for data. CBAMCheck CALCULATES it.

THE EU CBAM PORTAL

Asks you to declare data

The EU CBAM Registry (Art. 14) requires you to submit total embedded emissions, number of certificates and carbon price documentation. It does not calculate these for you. You must arrive with the numbers ready.

CBAMCHECK

Calculates the data you need to declare

CBAMCheck takes your import data (tonnes, CN codes, country of origin) and generates the embedded emissions calculation, certificate estimation, carbon price documentation and all supporting records. You download the dossier and use it to complete your declaration in the CBAM Registry.

Enforcement: what happens when CBAM certificates are missing

Art. 26 of Reg. (EU) 2023/956 sets the penalties.

⚠️

Authorised declarant: penalty identical to EU ETS rate

EU ETS rate per certificate

Art. 26(1): an authorised CBAM declarant who fails to surrender the required certificates by 30 September faces a penalty identical to the excess emissions penalty under Art. 16(3) of Directive 2003/87/EC, increased per Art. 16(4). The penalty applies per certificate not surrendered. Payment does not release the obligation to surrender outstanding certificates (Art. 26(3)).

⚠️

Unauthorised importer: penalty 3–5 times the standard rate

3–5×

Art. 26(2): anyone introducing goods without authorisation faces a penalty of 3 to 5 times the standard penalty, depending on duration, gravity, scope, intent and cooperation. Also applies to importers exceeding the de minimis threshold (50 tonnes, Art. 2a) without authorisation (Art. 26(2a)).

Managing CBAM deadlines for multiple importing companies?

The Professional Pack covers 70 dossier generations. Each dossier includes a personalised .ics compliance calendar — 70 companies, 70 deadline schedules.

Request Professional Pack →

70 generations · 1 key · Personalised calendars for every client

What CBAMCheck guarantees and what it does not

CBAMCheck generates a document structured according to Art. 6 and Art. 7 + Annex IV of Regulation (EU) 2023/956 from the information you enter. The truthfulness, accuracy and completeness of that information is your responsibility as importer or authorised CBAM declarant.

We guarantee that the document structure follows Regulation (EU) 2023/956 and that the legal references cited are correct. We do not guarantee that a specific document will be accepted by a national competent authority in a specific case.

CBAMCheck is not legal advice. For specific situations, consult a lawyer or specialised regulatory consultancy.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a subscription?

No. One-time payment. The licence includes 30 days of editing and 10 regenerations. The downloaded dossier is yours forever.

Can I request a refund?

By activating the licence you give express consent for the immediate generation of digital content under Art. 16(m) of Directive (EU) 2011/83, waiving the 14-day withdrawal right. Refunds are accepted only for reproducible technical faults.

What if the regulation changes?

If the regulation changes during your licence validity, you can regenerate the document with the updated version of the generator at no extra cost.

When does the definitive CBAM regime start?

1 January 2026. From this date, authorisation under Art. 5 is required to import CBAM goods. The transitional reporting period (October 2023 – December 2025) ends.

When is the first CBAM declaration due?

The first annual CBAM declaration is due by 30 September 2027, covering all CBAM imports from calendar year 2026 (Art. 6).

Does CBAMCheck generate a calendar with all CBAM deadlines?

Yes. One of the 12 deliverables is an importable .ics compliance calendar with all CBAM deadlines: quarterly certificate checks, annual declaration dates, certificate purchase windows and key milestones from 2026 to 2032.

Official legal sources

⚠️ Important notice: CBAMCheck is a self-assessment documentation tool, not legal advice and not a third-party audit. The document is generated from your input data. You are responsible for the accuracy of the data you provide. CBAMCheck does not replace a qualified professional assessment.