EU CBAM Carbon Border Tax Calculator
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered force on January 1, 2026. Importers of steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, electricity, and hydrogen must buy CBAM certificates for embedded CO2 emissions. Estimate your CBAM cost.
How the EU CBAM Carbon Border Tax Calculator Works
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is the EU's carbon border tax. It requires importers to purchase CBAM certificates corresponding to the CO2 emissions embedded in covered goods. The certificate price tracks the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) allowance price, currently around €70–€100 per tonne of CO2. CBAM ensures that imported goods face the same carbon cost as goods produced within the EU, preventing "carbon leakage" where production moves to countries with weaker climate policies.
Products Covered
CBAM Applies To
- Steel & iron — ~1.85 tCO2/tonne (default benchmark)
- Aluminium — ~8.00 tCO2/tonne (electrolysis-intensive)
- Cement & clinker — ~0.77 tCO2/tonne
- Fertilisers — ~2.70 tCO2/tonne (nitrogen-based)
- Electricity — ~0.40 tCO2/MWh (grid average varies)
- Hydrogen — ~9.00 tCO2/tonne (grey hydrogen)
Exemptions
Importers bringing in 50 tonnes or less (cumulative net mass) of CBAM-covered goods per year are exempt. If you can provide verified actual emissions data from the producer showing lower CO2 intensity than the default benchmark, your CBAM cost will be lower.