CBAM certificates: price, purchase and surrender

Anyone above the 50-tonne threshold pays CBAM through certificates: for every tonne of CO₂ emitted in producing the imported goods, one certificate is due – minus what EU producers still receive free of charge.

At a glance

1 CBAM certificate = 1 tonne of CO₂ equivalent of embedded emissions.
Price for imports in 2026: EU ETS average in the quarter of import – Q1: €75.36 · Q2: €75.28 · Q3: €82.32 · Q4: not yet published.
Sales from 1 February 2027 on the central platform; surrender for 2026 by 30 September 2027.
From 2027: at the end of each quarter at least 50% of imports so far covered by certificates.

What does CBAM cost for my goods?

Enter CN code, country of origin and quantity – the calculator uses the EU's official default values and benchmarks, exactly like CBAMfix for the annual declaration.

CN code (8 digits)

Country of origin

Quantity in tonnes (net mass)

Import

How many certificates do I have to surrender?

The number follows from the embedded emissions of the imported goods – i.e. the emissions from their production – minus an adjustment for the free allocation that EU producers still receive under the EU ETS. This adjustment shrinks year by year with the CBAM factor.

CBAM factor (share of free allocation that remains): 2026: 97.5% · 2027: 95% · 2028: 90% · 2029: 77.5% · 2030: 51.5% · 2031: 39% · 2032: 26.5% · 2033: 14% · 2034: 0%.

Without verified emission data from the producer, official default values per country of origin and CN code apply – with a mark-up of 10% (2026), 20% (2027) and 30% from 2028; 1% for fertilisers. A carbon price paid in the country of origin can be deducted in future; the detailed rules are still pending.

What does a certificate cost?

For imports in 2026 the quarterly average of EU ETS auction prices applies – of the quarter in which the goods were imported: Q1: €75.36 · Q2: €75.28 · Q3: €82.32 · Q4: not yet published. Although the certificates are only bought in 2027, their price follows 2026.

From 2027 the price is set weekly. If you are planning now, the latest known value of €82.32 per certificate is the best basis.

Purchase, holding obligation and surrender

The CBAM declaration for imports in 2026 must be submitted by 30 September 2027; the certificates must also be surrendered by then. Certificates are sold from 1 February 2027 on the common central platform. From 2027, at the end of each quarter at least 50% of the embedded emissions imported since the start of the year must be covered by certificates.

The authority can repurchase excess certificates to a limited extent. Certificates bought for 2026 that were neither surrendered nor repurchased are cancelled without compensation on 1 November 2027.

Frequently asked questions

When can I buy CBAM certificates?

From 1 February 2027 on the EU's common central platform. Only authorised CBAM declarants can buy.

What does CBAM cost per tonne of steel?

That depends on the country of origin, the exact CN code and the producer's emission data. The calculator on this page shows the costs based on official default values for your goods.

Do I have to buy certificates if I stay below 50 tonnes?

No. Below the threshold the CBAM obligations, including certificates, do not apply – except for electricity and hydrogen.

What does the 50% holding obligation mean?

From 2027, at the end of each quarter certificates for at least half of the embedded emissions of all goods imported since the start of the year must be held in the CBAM registry account – calculated with default values without mark-up and after deducting free allocation.

Stay on top of the 50-tonne threshold

CBAMfix reads your import documents, checks every CN code against Annex I, keeps count and warns you in time before the authorisation deadline.

Try free for 14 days