CBAM

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

CBAM-Carbon-Border-Adjustment-Mechanism

Assured CBAM compliance, end-to-end

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is reshaping global trade. Importers of covered goods including aluminium, cement, steel, iron, hydrogen, fertilisers, and electricity must declare the embedded emissions in their products and surrender CBAM certificates to match those emissions.

Unlike other reporting rules, CBAM creates a direct financial liability tied to the EU carbon price, which makes defensible data, audit-ready evidence, and supplier engagement essential. NQC's supply chain risk management platform, SUPPLIERASSURANCE, helps organisations manage this process from supplier data collection through to certificate calculation and submission.

 

The cost of carbon non-compliance

89B
In 2024, imports of CBAM-covered goods entering the EU were worth €89 billion. Small errors in emissions data can create significant financial exposure.
76%
… of consumers say they would stop buying from companies with poor environmental practices. Non-compliance risks both penalties and reputational damage.
72%
…of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products. Accurate, verifiable emissions reporting helps companies win preference and loyalty.

CBAM compliance: What importers & suppliers must know

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism puts a price on the embedded carbon in imports to the EU. Importers must purchase certificates that match declared emissions, and the cost is tied directly to the EU carbon price, which has ranged from €50 to over €100 per tonne in recent years. Inaccurate or incomplete supplier data can drive up costs, trigger penalties, and jeopardise EU market access. These FAQs explain which goods are in scope, what evidence is required, and how companies can avoid unnecessary financial and reputational risk.

A structured path to CBAM compliance

NQC's supply chain risk platform, SUPPLIERASSURANCE, simplifies CBAM by guiding companies through every step of the process. From identifying in-scope goods to calculating certificate costs and generating audit-ready reports, the platform delivers a complete workflow that reduces risk and effort.
Identify

Identify

Within the ASSURE module of SUPPLIERASSURANCE, the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Assessment (CBAMA) confirms which goods fall under CBAM using Combined Nomenclature (CN) codes. It maps suppliers and gathers bill of materials data to capture inputs and precursors.

Calculate

Calculate

The CBAMA guides suppliers to provide activity data such as energy use, fuel consumption, and process emissions. It applies recognised emission factors to calculate embedded carbon at each stage of production and determine the certificate costs linked to the EU ETS.

Report

Report

Through ASSURE, the CBAMA produces declarations that meet EU reporting requirements and submits them directly to the CBAM registry via API. Each report includes a full audit trail with supplier evidence, making compliance both defensible and verifiable.

CBAM-Guide-2025

Your guide to CBAM compliance

Download our CBAM Guide to learn which goods are in scope, what data importers must provide, and how certificate costs are calculated. The guide explains the regulation in plain language and outlines the steps companies can take today to prepare.

Frequently asked questions

Compliance. Simplified.