Regulation (EU) 2023/956 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Reg. CBAM) establishes the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

The CBAM’s purpose is to prevent the risk of carbon leakage, to deal with greenhouse gas emissions incorporated in certain carbon-intensive goods, as these are specifically included in Annex I of the CBAM Reg., during the importation of these goods into the customs territory of the European Union (EU).

The general categories of goods included in Annex I of the CBAM Regulation are those of cement, iron and steel, aluminum, fertilizers, electricity and chemicals (hydrogen), which are specialized with Taric, Combined Nomenclature or Harmonized System codes.

The CBAM regulation has entered its transitional application period on 01-10-2023 (lasting until 31-12-2025). During the transitional period, the obligations of importers arising from Reg. CBAM are limited to reporting obligations, as defined in articles 33, 34 and 35 of Reg. CBAM.

The rules for submitting the reports, for the purposes of the CBAM during the transitional period, are determined by the executive Regulation (EU) 2023/1773 of the Commission. According to this Regulation, the first report should be submitted by January 31, 2024 for goods imported in the fourth quarter of 2023, and the last one by January 31, 2026 for goods imported in the fourth quarter of 2025.

From 01-01-2026, the date of full implementation of the CBAM, goods falling under the CBAM Regulation will be imported into the customs territory of the EU only by a licensed CBAM declarant.
The customs requirements from 01-01-2026 will be summarized in the mandatory reference in the customs declaration of the unique CBAM account number (assigned, on the basis of Article 16§1 of Reg. CBAM, to each licensed CBAM declarant), taking into account the exceptions provided for in Article 2 of the CBAM Regulation (Circular E.2072/ November 23, 2023, Online Publication Number: Ρ9ΦΤ46ΜΠ3Ζ-9ΙΕ).

The Directorate General of the Financial and Economic Crime Unit (S.D.O.E.) of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance has been designated as the competent National Authority for the fulfillment of the responsibilities and duties deriving from the CBAM Regulation in our country, with the following contact details:

Address: Peiraios 207 & Alkifronos 92, PC 118 53, Athens

E-mail address: cbam-helpdesk@sdoe.gr

Telephone numbers: (+30) 2103401016 and (+30) 2103401282

Detailed information on the requirements of the CBAM Regulation can be found on the European Commission’s website: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism