CBAM
CBAM: the Q3 2026 certificate price is €82.32
The official reference for the third quarter is €82.32 per certificate. It is linked to the quarter of import, even though certificate purchases only start in 2027.
On 5 October 2026 the European Commission published the CBAM certificate price for the third quarter: €82.32 per certificate. It is the reference for the embedded emissions in covered goods imported into the EU between July and September 2026, under the rules of the mechanism.
It is not a percentage of the invoice or a charge of €82.32 for every tonne of product. One certificate represents one tonne of CO2 equivalent; the number that must finally be surrendered depends on emissions and the applicable adjustments.
Sources: European Commission: price of CBAM certificates
Prices published for 2026
| Quarter | Published | € per certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 (January–March) | 7 April 2026 | 75.36 |
| Q2 (April–June) | 6 July 2026 | 75.28 |
| Q3 (July–September) | 5 October 2026 | 82.32 |
At the date of this review, the fourth-quarter price has not yet been published; the Commission expects to publish it on 4 January 2027. The third-quarter price should not be extrapolated to all imports of the year.
The quarter of import is what matters
In 2026 prices are quarterly and are calculated from the volume-weighted auctions of the EU Emissions Trading System. From 2027 the price will be published weekly.
For 2026 imports, the quarterly reference is not determined by the order date, the payment to the supplier or the purchase of the certificate in 2027. It is therefore advisable to organise clearances and quantities by period, with documentary traceability.
Price and obligation are separate calculations
Before assessing the outlay, you need to:
- Confirm that the CN code is covered and whether an exemption applies.
- Determine emissions using verified actual values or the applicable official default values.
- Calculate any adjustments that apply, including the equivalent free allocation and the carbon price effectively paid at origin, with the required evidence.
- Apply the corresponding price to the resulting obligation.
Do not simply multiply tonnes of goods by €82.32. Nor should this price replace the analysis of classification, annual mass, emissions and declarant responsibility summarised in our CBAM imports guide.
Sources: European Commission: CBAM questions and answers (15 October 2026)
What the company should prepare
Keep a record by code, supplier and installation, with quantities, import date, emissions and documents. If goods arrive from several factories or shipments are grouped, keep the detail needed to attribute each batch and period.
When comparing offers from China, separate the goods, duties, VAT, logistics and any CBAM obligation. The certificate price alone does not allow you to compare two factories or know the cost of an operation.
The payment timeline does not remove 2026 obligations
Certificate sales start on 1 February 2027. The deadline for the first annual declaration and surrender of certificates for 2026 imports is 30 September 2027.
Buying certificates later does not mean emissions data can easily be recovered at the end: it has to be organised with factories during the operation. The CBAM FAQ updated in October helps review that preparation.
Sources: European Commission: price of CBAM certificates · European Commission: CBAM communication and news · European Commission: CBAM questions and answers (15 October 2026)
Guidance for businesses. It is not tax advice or an estimate of your CBAM obligation; confirm it with the declarant and the competent authority.
Official sources
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Further reading
Organise the CBAM data for your purchases
We can coordinate with your suppliers in China the information by installation, batch and period that those preparing the declaration will need.
Initial conversation without obligation. The authorised CBAM declarant is responsible for purchasing and surrendering certificates.