CBAM: history, objectives, scope, and its compatibility with international law (I)

Carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM)

Michael Lux
Michael Lux
Attorney at Michael Lux BV, former Head of Unit ‘Customs Legislation’ and ‘Customs Procedures’, EU Commission, Belgium
Published 05 Nov 2023
CBAM: history, objectives, scope, and its compatibility with international law (I)

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Note from the CCRM editors: This first part of the article provides an overview of the history, objectives and scope of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) introduced by the EU. It also examines the issue of whether the Paris Agreement on climate change foresees border adjustment measures by countries with high climate ambitions, and poses the following question: Is the CBAM fair towards developing countries? In the second part, the author will provide an overview of the provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) which could justify the CBAM, his assessment of the CBAM Regulation, and share a practical list of questions that companies can use in order to find out whether they are affected, and if so, how they can prepare to meet the CBAM requirements, in particular for the transitional period.