🌍 CBAM Omnibus Regulation Published in the Official Journal: What Has Changed and What It Means for Industry
- Betül Bayram Uzun
- 20 Eki
- 3 dakikada okunur
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the European Union’s carbon border adjustment mechanism, underwent a major update with the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2025/2083 on 8 October 2025.
The regulation was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 17 October 2025 and officially entered into force a few days later.
This “Omnibus Regulation” aims to simplify, strengthen, and clarify CBAM obligations ahead of the full implementation of financial requirements starting 1 January 2026.
1. Purpose of the CBAM Omnibus
Since the transitional period began in 2023, the European Commission has gathered data and feedback from industry. Based on these insights, the regulation was amended to:
Reduce administrative and reporting burdens,
Ease obligations for small importers,
Improve the effectiveness of CBAM against carbon leakage.
2. Introduction of a 50-Ton “De Minimis” Threshold
One of the most impactful changes is the introduction of a single mass-based threshold:
Importers with total annual imports below 50 tons are exempt from CBAM obligations.
This applies to iron & steel, aluminium, cement, and fertiliser sectors.
Electricity and hydrogen are not covered by the exemption.
The EU expects this to exempt only around 1 % of embedded emissions, leaving 99 % of imports under CBAM.
👉 This significantly lightens the compliance load for small importers while keeping large importers fully in scope.
3. Mandatory Authorized CBAM Declarant Status
As of 2026, importers must obtain authorized CBAM declarant status.
Applications submitted by 31 March 2026 will benefit from temporary clearance to avoid trade disruptions.
Importers anticipating to exceed the 50-ton threshold must apply in advance.
4. Extended Declaration Deadline
The annual CBAM declaration deadline has been extended to 30 September each year.
This gives companies more time to gather emissions data, verify it, and manage certificate purchases.
5. CBAM Certificates and Pricing
CBAM certificate sales will begin on 1 February 2027.
These certificates will cover emissions from imports made in 2026.
Prices will be indexed to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) allowance price for 2026.
The quarterly certificate holding requirement has been reduced from 80 % to 50 %.
6. Simplified Emissions Calculations
Secondary processing steps for some products will be excluded from system boundaries.
Default emissions values will be expanded to cover more products.
Double counting will be avoided where precursor inputs are already covered by EU
7. Carbon Price Deduction Mechanism
Importers may deduct carbon prices paid in the country of origin from CBAM obligations.
The Commission will establish default carbon prices for third countries to simplify the deduction process.
8. Monitoring, Penalties & Compliance
The Commission will closely monitor imports to prevent abuse of the 50-ton threshold.
Importers exceeding the threshold without authorization will face penalties.
For minor or unintentional errors, penalties may be adjusted proportionally.
9. What Lies Ahead for Industry After 2026
Starting 1 January 2026:
Financial obligations under CBAM will be fully operational.
Annual CBAM declarations will become mandatory.
Robust systems for emissions monitoring, data collection, and certificate management will be essential.
Digital Product Passport (DPP), Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and supply chain data will become increasingly intertwined with CBAM reporting.
👉 Particularly for the steel, aluminium, and cement industries, digitalization of sustainability data will be a key competitive advantage.
Legal Reference
This regulation was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 17 October 2025 and entered into force shortly thereafter.
📅 Publication date: 17 October 2025
📘 Legal basis: Regulation (EU) 2025/2083
This regulation revises and strengthens the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), redefining financial obligations, reporting timelines, and exemption criteria starting in 2026.
🤝 How Optimimax Helps Companies Adapt
The CBAM Omnibus Regulation makes data management, emissions tracking, and reporting more critical than ever for exporters.
Optimimax provides:
Product-level carbon footprint calculation and visualization,
Automated and auditable CBAM reporting workflows,
Integrated Digital Product Passport (DPP) support,
Supply chain transparency and emissions data management.
👉 Visit optimimax.com to learn how we help manufacturers and exporters comply with CBAM and turn climate regulation into a competitive advantage.
✅ In summary: The CBAM Omnibus Regulation streamlines processes but significantly raises the compliance bar for exporters. Digital solutions will be essential to meet these new obligations effectively and competitively.
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