EU green tariff on high carbon imports comes into force

Mace | 2nd January 2026 | Lobbying, Policy & Think Tanks
Berlin_Heizkraftwerk_Wilmersdorf_asv2021-04

The EU’s new green tariff regime begins, applying carbon costs to selected imports and reshaping how climate policy intersects with trade.

The European Union’s new green tariff regime on high carbon imports has entered into force, marking a significant change in how the bloc connects climate policy with trade. The rules apply under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which is intended to place a carbon price on certain imported goods equivalent to that faced by EU producers under the emissions trading system. The mechanism has moved into force following several years of legislative negotiations between EU institutions and member states. Under the system, importers of selected carbon intensive products are required to meet reporting and adjustment obligations linked to the embedded emissions of their goods. The initial scope covers sectors including steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen. These industries are viewed by EU policymakers as both emissions heavy and exposed to international competition, making them central to concerns about carbon leakage. The mechanism operates alongside the EU em...

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.



EU delays high-stakes industrial policy tool

Oliver Dean | January 23, 2026

EU institutions have postponed the release of a long-anticipated industrial policy instrument, a move that has frustrated several national governments and delayed work on broader competitiveness initiatives. Reporting

Farmers flood Strasbourg as EU Mercosur trade deal nears parliamentary vote

Mace | January 21, 2026

Thousands of farmers descended on the streets of Strasbourg and other European cities this week ahead of a key vote in the European Parliament on the controversial trade

Russell Group turns to public policy veteran for next phase of university lobbying

Thomas Edwards | January 21, 2026

The Russell Group has picked Professor Libby Hackett, an Australia based public policy specialist, as its next chief executive, handing the UK’s most influential research university lobby to

Davos 2026 in the Age of Power Politics

William Cash | January 20, 2026

Davos is meant to be the place where the global public affairs class can compress a year of stakeholder management into five days, with a badge, a diary,

New EU rules to streamline chemical safety assessments take effect

Mace | January 8, 2026

New EU rules aim to speed up and align chemical safety assessments, reducing duplication between agencies while maintaining health and environmental protections

FTSE 100 breaks through 10,000 for first time as London equities start 2026 strongly

Mace | January 2, 2026

The FTSE 100 surpasses 10,000 for the first time, reflecting strong gains in commodities, defence and financial stocks.

Brussels Opens EU Arctic Policy Review With Public Consultation

Mace | December 29, 2025

The European Commission launches a public consultation to update EU Arctic policy amid climate pressures and rising geopolitical stakes.

Virgin Atlantic launches review of consumer PR account

Mace | December 23, 2025

Virgin Atlantic opens a competitive pitch for its consumer PR account as the airline reassesses brand strategy and agency partnerships.

EU Lawmakers Seal Overhaul of Pharmaceutical Rulebook

Mace | December 12, 2025

European legislators agree major reforms to medicines law, reshaping market exclusivity, boosting access, and tightening rules on shortages and antibiotics

EU Forces Meta to Reshape Ads Policy After 200 Million Euro Fine

Mace | December 10, 2025

Meta agrees to overhaul its EU ad model, offering clearer data-sharing choices for users after regulators ruled its previous system breached competition rules.