RINA has achieved ACCREDIA accreditation for Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) verification, becoming the first conformity assessment body accredited by ACCREDIA for this activity and among the first accredited CBAM verification bodies worldwide.
This accreditation enables RINA to perform independent verification of the embedded greenhouse gas emissions associated with goods covered by the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, supporting manufacturers, exporters and importers in meeting the new regulatory requirements introduced by the European Commission.
From 1 January 2026, CBAM directly impacts EU importers of goods covered by the mechanism, currently including cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen.
Importers exceeding the 50-tonne annual threshold must obtain authorised CBAM declarant status and report the embedded emissions of their imported goods and, where applicable, surrender the corresponding CBAM certificates.
The number of certificates is linked to the embedded emissions of the imported goods. These emissions can be determined using actual emissions data or applicable default values. Where actual emissions are used, the data must be verified by an accredited CBAM verification body.
This makes verification particularly relevant for non-EU operators. Reliable, verified actual emissions data can, where lower than the applicable default values, reduce the number of CBAM certificates required by the EU importer and the associated CBAM cost.
CBAM is one of the European Union's key climate policy instruments. Designed to prevent carbon leakage and ensure a level playing field between European and non-European producers, it introduces a carbon pricing system for selected imported goods based on their embedded emissions.
For non-EU exporters, having actual embedded emissions verified by an accredited CBAM verification body can strengthen their position in the European market. Where actual emissions are lower than applicable default values, verified data may result in lower CBAM costs for EU importers, potentially making lower-carbon suppliers more attractive compared with competitors relying on default values.
As CBAM develops, this may encourage a shift towards lower-carbon and more transparent supply chains, making verified emissions performance an increasingly relevant factor for European customers.
