BRIEFING: EU finalises stricter CBAM rules, raising costs for importers as benchmarks tighten and default values surge

EU member states have approved the long-awaited rules governing how the bloc’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will operate from 2026, adopting a more stringent framework than those in draft texts leaked last month and raising the cost exposure for importers across steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, and hydrogen.