The EU’s official CBAM certificate price Q3 2026 rose to €82.32 per tonne of CO₂ equivalent, increasing the carbon component of import costs for covered materials.
The European Commission published the price on 5 October. It was €7.04 higher than the second-quarter price of €75.28, representing an increase of 9.35%. The certificate price for the first quarter was €75.36. Prices are calculated using weighted results from EU emissions allowance auctions.
Higher certificate prices increase import exposure
The increase in the certificate price does not result in an identical surcharge for every tonne of steel, aluminium, cement or fertiliser entering the EU. The financial impact depends on the number of certificates required for an individual import after applicable adjustments.
The higher price therefore raises carbon border adjustment costs for imports with a given certificate requirement, while the precise liability varies between shipments.
As an illustrative sensitivity, a shipment requiring 1,000 certificates would incur a €7,040 higher certificate cost at the third-quarter price than at the second-quarter level. The comparison assumes that the certificate requirement remains unchanged.
The development also increases the relevance of steel aluminium carbon costs when traders assess the total cost associated with covered imports.
Import contracts face carbon-cost considerations
For traders, the higher certificate price makes it more important to align commercial provisions with the relevant import period and the emissions information used to determine liability.
Fixed selling prices can leave importers exposed when contracts do not adequately address carbon costs. The applicable CBAM import liability depends on the certificate requirement and the conditions used to calculate that obligation.
The higher certificate price is therefore an additional factor in commercial calculations even though it does not produce a uniform carbon surcharge across all covered goods.
Fourth-quarter price due in January
The European Commission is scheduled to publish the fourth-quarter certificate price on 4 January 2027. Purchases of certificates covering 2026 imports will begin through the common central platform from February 2027.
The timetable delays the cash payment for the certificates, but companies setting prices for goods today still need to account for the liability associated with those imports. The timing of CBAM certificates 2027 purchases therefore remains separate from the carbon cost that firms need to consider when pricing covered goods.
