24-hour hotline : 23 922 922
e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk
Ref. : S/F (C) to EIC 230/2/11
24 December 2025
Dear Sirs,
Further to the Commercial Information Circular No. 913/2025 of 21 October 2025, the European Commission published Implementing Regulations (EU) 2025/2546, (EU) 2025/2547, (EU) 2025/2548, (EU) 2025/2549 and (EU) 2025/2620 on 22 December 2025 which lay down the operational rules for the application of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The Implementing Regulations are available at:
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2546 on verification principles
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202502546
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2547 on calculation methodology
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202502547
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2548 on the price of CBAM certificates
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202502548
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2549 on authorisation of declarants
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202502549
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2620 on free allocation adjustment
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202502620
2.In gist, the Regulations clarified the operational rules for the definitive period of the CBAM starting on 1 January 2026, which cover the methodology for monitoring and calculating embedded emissions in CBAM goods; verification principles and accreditation conditions for verifiers, aligned with EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and ISO standards; the calculation of price of CBAM certificates, based on weekly average price of EU ETS allowance, with quarterly averages applied for goods imported in 2026 as certificates will be sold from 1 February 2027; simplified procedures for authorised CBAM declarant status; and adjustments to CBAM certificates surrendered to reflect the phase-out of free allowances under the EU ETS.
3.The Regulations will enter into force on 25 December 2025 and apply from 1 January 2026.
4.For further information and guidance on CBAM, please visit the EU’s official web page on CBAM at https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism_en.
5.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at 2398 5684.
Yours faithfully,
(Miss Jenny MOK)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry
* The EU comprises 27 member countries, namely, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
| Note 1: | While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same. |
| Note 2: | "Regulatory Alert - EU" of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council provides up-to-date information on the latest developments in EU trade policy and trade regulations. It is available at: https://research.hktdc.com/en/regulatory-alerts/eu. |