| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2026 | The CBAM definitive regime starts. Above 50 t a year, only authorised CBAM declarants may import. |
| 31 Mar 2026 | Last day to apply and keep importing while the application is pending (Art. 17(7a) of the CBAM Regulation). |
| 31 Dec 2026 | TARIC code Y238 (application filed, decision pending) stays valid until this date. The extension was decided by the European Commission for the whole EU; in Romania it was announced by the Ministry of Finance on 16 Sep 2026. |
| 4 Jan 2027 | Publication of the Q4 2026 certificate price. |
| 1 Feb 2027 | Sales of CBAM certificates start on the common central platform. |
| From 2027, quarterly | You must hold certificates for at least 50% of the emissions embedded in your imports since the start of the year. |
| 30 Sep 2027 | First annual CBAM declaration (2026 imports) and surrender of certificates. |
| 2028 | The mark-up on default values rises to 30%. |
The authorised CBAM declarant
Above the 50 t threshold you need the status of authorised CBAM declarant. You apply in the CBAM Registry to the competent authority of your EU country. In Romania this is the Ministry of Finance, which asks for an EORI number, no serious infringements in the last 5 years and a tax certificate. New companies that were not established during the two financial years before the application also provide a bank guarantee in euro (Order MF 1188/2026, a Romania-specific rule). Other EU countries have their own procedures.
Quarterly holding from 2027
From 2027, at every quarter you must hold certificates for at least 50% of the emissions imported since the start of the year. In practice, in 2027 you pay both the certificates for 2026 and part of those for 2027.
Penalties
- For each certificate not surrendered by 30 September: €135.31 (the EU ETS excess emissions penalty, indexed value). Paying the penalty does not release you from the obligation: you must still buy and surrender the missing certificates.
- For importing above the threshold without authorisation: 3 to 5 times that penalty, per certificate (Art. 26 of Regulation (EU) 2023/956).