CBAM: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is an environmental rebalancing tool designed to align the environmental costs of imported products with those imposed on European goods. More than a simple tax, the CBAM acts as a market corrective: it internalizes the environmental externalities linked to production in countries with less stringent climate standards. Its objective is not only environmental, but also economic, as it prevents the delocalization of emissions and preserves the competitiveness of European industry. Through the purchase of certificates equivalent to the embodied emissions, an economic value is attributed to the CO₂ emitted, making the climate cost of imported goods transparent.