CBAM Cost Model Template 2026 (Free PDF Report)
Reviewed against current law:
General Summary
The CBAM cost model is a PDF report produced by the CBAM cost calculator that forecasts an importer's certificate obligation and cost for each year from 2026 to 2034. You enter the sector and production route, the country of origin, the annual import volume and an ETS price assumption. The report returns the yearly certificates and cost, a quarterly holding schedule from 2027 and a price sensitivity table. Finance teams and importers budgeting for CBAM need it. It is a simplified planning estimate, not the legal calculation of the certificates to surrender.
What This Cost Model Covers
The cost model covers six report sections, from your inputs to the methodology.
| Report section | What it contains |
|---|---|
| Your inputs | Sector and production route, country of origin, annual import volume, ETS price assumption, emission data basis, base emission factor and its source |
| Headline results | 2026 certificate cost, 2034 annual cost at full phase-in and the nine-year total, each with the number of certificates |
| Year-by-year obligation | For 2026 to 2034: the calculator's phase-in share (labelled "CBAM factor" in the report), emission factor, embedded emissions, certificates and cost, with totals |
| Quarterly certificate holding schedule | From 2027: cumulative emissions after the phase-in share, 50% of that figure at the first three quarter-ends and the annual surrender volume in the fourth quarter. The figures keep the default value mark-up, which Article 22(2)(a) leaves out of the holding rule |
| ETS price sensitivity | Cost in 2026, 2030 and 2034 and the nine-year total at five ETS prices around your assumption |
| Methodology and assumptions | The calculator's simplified formula, its phase-in share, the source of default values and mark-ups, the rounding rule |
How to Use It
- Open the calculator. Open the CBAM cost calculator.
- Enter the imports. Select the sector and production route and the country of origin, then enter the annual import volume in tonnes.
- Choose the data basis. Use default values with their mark-up, or enter the actual emission factor from your supplier.
- Set the price. Keep the EU ETS reference price shown or enter your own assumption.
- Download the report. Select "Download PDF report" to save the cost model.
- Rerun it. Repeat for each product line and after every official certificate price publication.
What the Regulation Requires Here
The cost of CBAM is the number of certificates multiplied by the certificate price, and Regulation (EU) 2023/956 fixes both sides.
Article 21(1a) sets the price for 2026 embedded emissions as the quarterly average of EU ETS auction closing prices for the quarter of import; Article 21(1) uses a weekly average for later years. The official price for Q3 2026 is EUR 82.32 per tonne of CO2e, published October 5, 2026.
On the volume side, Article 6(2)(c) deducts the free allocation adjustment of Article 31 from the embedded emissions. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2620 builds that adjustment from the CBAM benchmark of the goods, the CBAM factor of the year (97.5% for 2026) and the cross-sectoral correction factor.
The calculator does not apply CBAM benchmarks. It multiplies embedded emissions by a phase-in share that starts at 2.5% for 2026 and reaches 100% in 2034, labelled "CBAM factor" in the report. That is a planning simplification by cbamguide.com, not the legal formula, and its result can differ from the certificates you declare.
As of October 12, 2026, proposal COM(2026) 616 would slow the phase-out of free allocation. It is not law and the model does not apply it.
Background reading: CBAM cost calculator, CBAM calculation guide and CBAM price tracker. For the mechanism as a whole, start with the EU CBAM overview.
Related templates
- CBAM Certificate Tracker Template 2026 (Free CSV Download)
- CBAM Declaration Checklist Template 2026 (Free PDF Download)
- CBAM Reporting Template 2026 (Free CSV Download)
- All CBAM templates and checklists
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an Excel version of the CBAM cost model?
The cost model is delivered as a PDF report. For a spreadsheet, the CBAM certificate tracker downloads as a CSV file that opens in Excel and holds the volume, emission factor, free allocation adjustment and certificates required for each import line.
Which carbon price does the cost model use?
The price you enter. The calculator pre-fills a daily EU ETS reference price, which is a market figure and not the certificate price. The latest official certificate price is EUR 82.32 per tonne of CO2e for Q3 2026, published October 5, 2026.
Does the cost model include the default value mark-up?
Yes, when you choose default values: 10% in 2026, 20% in 2027 and 30% from 2028, with 1% for fertilisers. An actual emission factor carries no mark-up.
Is the report an official estimate?
No. It is a planning estimate from cbamguide.com based on your inputs, not a figure from the European Commission. It applies a simplified phase-in share to embedded emissions instead of the benchmark-based free allocation adjustment of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2620, so the certificates you declare can differ.
CBAM Brief (EUR 199 a month) emails you when a certificate price, default value, CN code or deadline changes.
This template is a starting point, not an official form, and not legal advice. The binding text is Regulation (EU) 2023/956 and its implementing acts. Content reviewed on October 12, 2026.