Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, in a written answer on 9 July 2026, outlined measures to address candidate countries' concerns over the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), particularly for renewable electricity generators. The answer, responding to a question by MEP Željana Zovko (PPE), signals the Commission's intent to ease CBAM implementation for countries with transitioning energy systems and regulatory frameworks.
Hoekstra emphasised that CBAM does not require third countries to have national monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) systems. Instead, the Commission is working with Member States to build verification capacity: 22 national accreditation bodies have indicated availability to accredit verifiers, with first accreditations expected by September 2026, ahead of the first CBAM declaration deadline in September 2027.
Regarding renewable generators, Hoekstra pointed to a December 2025 Commission proposal to amend CBAM rules for electricity. The proposal would modify the methodology for default values to reflect the average emission intensity of all electricity sources, including renewables, leading to an estimated 30% reduction in default values per country. It also simplifies conditions for using actual emissions values, making it easier for clean energy producers to declare lower emissions.
The answer did not announce new measures beyond the December 2025 proposal, which is currently under legislative consideration. The Commission's approach aims to align CBAM implementation with supporting decarbonisation in the EU's neighbourhood, avoiding disproportionate penalties for countries lacking regulatory capacity. The proposal is expected to proceed through the ordinary legislative procedure, with potential adoption in 2027.