Sustainability
EU Deforestation Regulation: the product list has changed
Editorial Board22 Sep 2026
EU Deforestation Regulation: the product list has changed
On 17 September 2026 the Commission published the change to the product list of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) - three and a half months before the regulation starts to apply. Leather, conveyor belts and retreaded tyres are out. Soluble coffee, soap and palm-based chemicals are in from 30 December...
Sustainability
News in focus
CBAM goes downstream: what importers of steel and aluminium goods must do before 2028
Erika Besusparienė02 Aug 2026Updated 20 Sep 2026
CBAM goes downstream: what importers of steel and aluminium goods must do before 2028
Editorial update: on 15 September 2026 the European Parliament took its position and would go further, to 457 product lines. The file now goes to trilogue. Importers that have only recently adapted to CBAM on raw steel and aluminium now face a further change. The Council's general approach of 12...
Sustainability
Topic spotlight
Forced labour ban: what happens at the border, and whenEditorial Board13 Sep 2026
Forced labour ban: what happens at the border, and when
The EU ban on products made with forced labour applies from 14 December 2027. The Commission's guidelines on how it will work were published on 3 September 2026. Nothing in your declarations changes yet, because customs act only once an authority has taken a decision naming particular products and suppliers,...
Sustainability
News in focus
EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation: a practical guide to packaging, market access and producer responsibility
Janina Bary23 Aug 2026
EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation: a practical guide to packaging, market access and producer responsibility
Who is responsible for packaging compliance under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) applied from 12 August 2026 - the brand owner, manufacturer, importer, distributor or another operator? The answer may differ depending on the type of packaging, the stage of the supply chain and the member state...
Sustainability
Topic spotlight
CBAM as seen by the customs representative
Evguenia Dereviankine03 Mar 2026
CBAM as seen by the customs representative
Customs representatives navigating the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) face responsibilities that vary significantly depending on the type of representation they provide. This article examines how liability is allocated under direct and indirect representation, when a customs broker must obtain authorised CBAM declarant status, and the legal and financial consequences...
Sustainability
Explainer
CBAM liability of importers and ‘other persons’
Michael Lux21 Dec 2025
CBAM liability of importers and ‘other persons’
The CBAM Regulation distinguishes as of 1 January 2026 between importers or their customs representatives who are ‘authorised CBAM declarants’ declaring CBAM goods for release for free circulation, and 'other persons introducing [CBAM] goods into the customs territory of the Union without complying with the obligations under this Regulation'. As...
Sustainability
Topic spotlight
CBAM document codes (and castor wheels…)
Bert Van Leeuwen18 Dec 2025
CBAM document codes (and castor wheels…)
An update to the European Commission’s CBAM guidance has clarified which document codes must be used in customs declarations from 1 January 2026, but not without raising new practical questions. This article examines the revised Y-codes, their interaction with TARIC data, origin and procedure rules, and why seemingly simple cases,...
Sustainability
Topic spotlight
UK CBAM: what customs professionals need to know
Arne Mielken17 Sep 2025
UK CBAM: what customs professionals need to know
This article offers an overview of the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), due to be introduced in January 2027. It outlines the goods within scope, importer obligations, reporting requirements, and compliance risks, while also noting key differences from the EU CBAM. Practical insights are provided to support businesses in...
Sustainability
Topic spotlight
CBAM: critical deadlines to ensure import readiness in 2026
Jan-Joost den Brinker23 Jul 2025
CBAM: critical deadlines to ensure import readiness in 2026
EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) implementation is approaching several key deadlines – if you are importing CBAM goods, now is the time to register as an Authorised Declarant. It is also important to plan for the costs, as payments for the certificates will begin in the fast-approaching year 2026....
Sustainability
Topic spotlight
Authorised CBAM declarant
Authorised CBAM declarant
15 May 2025
From 28 March 2025, companies may submit applications to obtain the status of an authorised CBAM declarant. It will take up to 120 days for an application to be considered, so it is important to submit your application in good time. Companies that do not obtain authorised declarant status by...
Sustainability
Topic spotlight
CBAM regulation simplifications: the liability burden
CLECAT19 Mar 2025
CBAM regulation simplifications: the liability burden
Editor's note. The European Commission has recognised the problem of unnecessary red tape and has announced a far-reaching simplification of certain regulations. The CBAM Regulation is one of them. Which CBAM simplifications are planned and which still need to be considered? CLECAT, the European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and...
Procedures
Sustainability
Perspective
New EU requirements for packaging and the import of packaged products - coming soon
Greta Kulikauske02 Mar 2025
New EU requirements for packaging and the import of packaged products - coming soon
In addition to the numerous sustainability-related areas assigned to customs (CBAM, EUDR, forced labor prohibition regulation, CITES, etc.), customs will soon be assigned another task – the control of packaging compliance with sustainability requirements. Accordingly, importers themselves will have to be aware of one more regulation. Let's review the new...
Sustainability
Topic spotlight
X marks the spotBert Van Leeuwen20 Oct 2024
X marks the spot
This article talks about the meaning of “ex” before commodity codes listed under Annex I of the EU Deforestation Regulation. With confusion around the interpretation of these codes, it’s one of the points that would need to be clarified before the Regulation can be implemented.
Sustainability
Topic spotlight
Ecodesign for Product Sustainability Regulation: what should economic operators expect?
Anthony Buckley22 Sep 2024
Ecodesign for Product Sustainability Regulation: what should economic operators expect?
In June 2024, the EU took another step towards building a climate-neutral and circular economy and a greener environment. This is the adoption of the new Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 - Ecodesign for Product Sustainability Regulation. The purpose of...
Sustainability
Topic spotlight
NOCA's Bulgarian Green Corridors project
Boryana Peycheva03 Sep 2024
NOCA's Bulgarian Green Corridors project
The rapid crossing of land borders for imported and exported goods (including for intra-EU movements)would help to take the operation of international supply chains to a new level. Timely delivery of goods is much more than a fulfilment of trade commitments in order to build fair and long-term business partnerships....
Sustainability
Country update
Customs as the gateway to sustainabilityErika Besusparienė11 Aug 2024
Customs as the gateway to sustainability
The customs industry, together with all the stakeholders such as policymakers, customs authorities, customs brokers, logistics, and trading companies, is becoming increasingly intertwined with sustainability policies aiming to mitigate the impact of climate change. These policies include the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), deforestation, new corporate sustainability regulations, etc., but...
Sustainability
Explainer