CBAM Verifier Accreditation Timeline
Key dates you can't afford to miss
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Introduction
A compliance team relying on a single source recently found their internal calendar was missing three CBAM deadlines, simply because the dates live scattered across separate Commission publications, guidance pages, and amending regulations.
With 2026 already underway and the first major 2027 obligations approaching, having every verified date in one place has become a genuine planning need rather than a convenience.
This article compiles every verified CBAM date into a single chronological reference, from the mechanism's 2023 origins through the confirmed milestones of 2027.
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2023 to 2025: Origins and Transition
May 2023 to December 2025: Adoption and Transition
CBAM Regulation (EU) 2023/956 was adopted in May 2023, establishing the mechanism's legal basis. The transitional phase began on October 1, 2023, requiring authorised declarants to submit quarterly reports on embedded emissions, with no financial obligation attached. On October 20, 2025, Regulation (EU) 2025/2083, the Omnibus simplification package, entered into force, introducing the 50-tonne annual mass threshold, deferring certificate sales, and extending the annual declaration deadline ahead of the definitive phase. The transitional phase formally ended on December 31, 2025.
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2026: Definitive Phase Launch
January to June 2026: Regime Launch and Early Guidance
The definitive CBAM regime began on January 1, 2026, making certificate and verification obligations binding in principle, even though certificate sales themselves would not open until 2027. The first CBAM certificate price was published on April 7, 2026, at EUR 75.36 per tonne of CO2 equivalent for the first quarter. On June 30, 2026, the Commission published its dedicated Verification of CBAM Emissions guidance page, setting out expectations ahead of the verifier accreditation process.
July to August 2026: Verifier Accreditation Groundwork
The Commission ran public feedback on draft certificate sale and repurchase mechanics from July 9 to August 6, 2026, with adoption planned for the fourth quarter of the year. On July 16, 2026, it held a Become a CBAM Verifier webinar aimed at prospective applicants. Formal verification and accreditation guidance followed on August 24, 2026, with Registry access and registration procedures published four days later, on August 28, 2026.
September 2026: Verifier Registry Access Opens
Registry access procedures opened for accredited verifiers from September 1, 2026, allowing registration applications to begin. Working Registry access, the point at which verifiers can actually connect with declarants and issue reports, follows no earlier than September 30, 2026.
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2027: Certificates and First Declaration
February to December 2027: Certificate Sales and Quarterly Checks
CBAM certificate sales open on February 1, 2027, through the common central platform, covering emissions embedded in 2026 imports. From this date, certificate prices move from quarterly to weekly publication. Declarants must also meet quarterly holding checkpoints on March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31, 2027, each requiring certificates covering at least 50 percent of cumulative embedded emissions for the year.
September to November 2027: First Declaration and Certificate Cleanup
September 30, 2027 is the single most consequential CBAM date so far: it is both the deadline for the first annual CBAM declaration and the first certificate surrender, both covering 2026 imports and due together. Declarants have until October 31, 2027 to request repurchase of any excess certificates at their original purchase price. Any certificates covering 2026 emissions that remain unused are cancelled without compensation on November 1, 2027.
Proposed, Not Yet Confirmed: 2028 Expansion
A European Parliament committee draft report, dated April 10, 2026, proposed extending CBAM to roughly 180 additional steel and aluminium manufactured products from January 1, 2028. This remains a proposal under negotiation, not an adopted deadline, and should be tracked separately from the confirmed dates above.
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Conclusion
Two dates matter most for planning purposes: February 1, 2027, when certificate purchasing finally opens, and September 30, 2027, when the first declaration and certificate surrender both fall due.
Several 2027 mechanics, including the certificate sale and repurchase rules, remain in draft form, so this timeline should be treated as a living reference rather than a final one.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key CBAM deadlines?
The most consequential dates are February 1, 2027, when certificate sales open, and September 30, 2027, when the first annual declaration and certificate surrender are both due.
When is the first CBAM declaration due?
September 30, 2027, covering embedded emissions in goods imported during 2026.
When can CBAM certificates first be purchased?
Certificate sales open February 1, 2027, through the EU's common central platform.
When did CBAM verifier Registry access open?
Registration procedures opened September 1, 2026, with working access following no earlier than September 30, 2026.
Is the 2028 CBAM expansion confirmed?
No, the proposed expansion to roughly 180 additional products remains a draft proposal, not an adopted deadline.
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