For the first time the European Commission has set the price of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) allowances for the first quarter of 2026 at €75.36
In 2026, CBAM certificate prices will be set on a quarterly basis. Each price will apply only to emissions from goods covered by the CBAM that are imported into the Union during the relevant quarter.
The price is calculated by the European Commission as the average of the transaction prices from auctions within the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), thereby ensuring fair and consistent alignment with the EU carbon market.
Although authorized CBAM declarants will not actually begin purchasing certificates until February 2027 (for their imports in 2026), the European Commission will begin calculating and publishing the four quarterly prices as early as 2026.
The purpose of publishing prices early is to increase transparency, provide stakeholders with timely information, and reduce the risk of uncoordinated or unofficial price forecasts circulating in the market.
