- Moroccan exporters are stepping up preparations to align with the new climate-linked trade rules, as the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is set to take effect.
- Maghribi added that the mechanism is not only an environmental measure but “a tool reshaping global competition.”
Moroccan exporters are stepping up preparations to align with the new climate-linked trade rules, as the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is set to take effect in January 2026.
Business groups say exporters are “ready” after three years of awareness campaigns and training, but warn the state must move faster on domestic carbon taxation and support measures to avoid a shock to key industries.
The EU mechanism will require importers to pay a carbon cost reflecting emissions embedded in goods such as steel, cement, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen.
After a transition phase since 2023 limited to emissions reporting, the levy becomes binding in 2026, potentially raising costs for carbon-intensive Moroccan exports to Europe, the country’s top trade partner.
In anticipation, Morocco’s Finance Ministry has already flagged a “green tax system” in budget documents, while the Economic, Social and Environmental Council unanimously adopted an opinion last month stressing both risks and opportunities for Moroccan competitiveness.
Exporters, represented by the Moroccan Confederation of Exporters (COMEX), noted they had been briefed nationwide and were adjusting production. Still, they said the “ball is in the state’s court” to set clear fiscal and customs rules in the 2026 finance bill, especially on a domestic carbon tax that has been under discussion since last year.
Critics, however, caution that preparation remains uneven. “Sectors reliant on fossil fuels face direct exposure. Without robust measurement and verification systems, small and medium-sized firms risk being left behind,” said Ahmed Maghribi, a trade expert.
He argued Morocco must urgently establish emission-tracking frameworks and product environmental declarations, while scaling up renewable energy contracts to cut industrial footprints.
Maghribi added that the mechanism is not only an environmental measure but “a tool reshaping global competition.”
He said Morocco’s heavy investment in solar, wind and green hydrogen puts it in a position to convert CBAM from a threat into “a historic opportunity” to anchor itself as a green industrial hub.
The debate comes as exporters await details in the 2026 budget. For now, professional associations say they are prepared, but their competitiveness will depend on how quickly state authorities deliver accompanying tax and policy reforms.