CBAM is coming (again…!) – are you ready for 2026?

With EU trade compliance headspace full of news and rumours about #EUDR and #deminimis, the need to get ready for big CBAM changes in 2026 is slipping under the radar.

As the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism moves into full compliance phase January 1st, 2026, businesses face complex challenges managing CBAM costs and data obligations.

Inadequate preparation will leave some companies unable to forecast, track and optimise their costs, whilst others will find themselves non-compliant, and subject to penalties and potential market access restrictions.

Here are a few things companies should be doing to prepare:

🧮 Forecasting CBAM costs tied to certificate purchases with accuracy, not guesswork.​

📈 Scenario modelling to assess the benefit of capturing primary supplier emissions data versus relying on default values

📋 Capturing and verifying supplier emissions data to build CBAM-compliant emissions profiles and avoid costly default penalties.​

🚢 Monitoring customs data to track imported emissions against forecast, informing when additional CBAM certificates need purchasing.​

⏰ Why act now? Relying on default values inflates your CBAM cost substantially (up to 30% or more) while poor data governance raises risk of penalties, shipment delays, and reputational damage.​

➡️ CBAM isn’t just “another regulation”, it’s a demand for clear visibility and strategic cost control across global supply chains.

Let us help you forecast, model, and manage CBAM compliance confidently, before the compliance clock runs out.