EU & UK CBAM explained: key developments and practical implications for traders

A practical, technically detailed session on EU CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) and the forthcoming UK CBAM, comparing how the two regimes are structured and where importers, suppliers and customs representatives are most likely to trip up.

Topics covered:

• How the EU CBAM threshold actually works (99% of emissions covered, not simply a 50-tonne mass limit) versus the UK's fixed £50,000-per-annum monetary threshold
• Why iron and steel dominate the current CBAM scope, and how new EU safeguard measures could affect future thresholds
• Why CBAM liability follows the official customs declaration (CN code, country of origin, net weight) rather than a company's own ERP data, and the impact on composite/mixed-material products
• The risk of double CBAM taxation when goods move between jurisdictions (e.g. processing abroad and re-import) and possible mitigations such as inward processing or bonded warehousing
• CN code alignment between customs declarations and supplier verification reports, and real examples of cross-member-state classification mismatches
• End-to-end supply chain traceability requirements for verified emissions, including the practical limits for multi-tier steel and aluminium supply chains
• Why genuine CBAM emissions verification is not yet possible, and how to recognise fraudulent verification certificates, logos and manipulated emission factors
• Fraudulent emails and payment demands impersonating official CBAM communications, including a flagged gap in the European Commission's own email practices
• Cybersecurity risks of exchanging CBAM data via Excel templates, illustrated with a macro-based data-exfiltration example
• Practical closing recommendations for importers on CN code alignment, avoiding double clearance, and using only official portals for CBAM payments and updates

For a broader overview of the topic, please watch the full recording. The slides are available in the Resources section.

Please note that this summary was generated using AI, based on the recording and available slides.