AQW 38163/22-27

Mr David Honeyford
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 14/01/2026
Answered On Date: 26/01/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail any discussions his Department has had with the UK Government, regarding the potential alignment of UK policy with the EU on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, since its introduction in the Republic of Ireland.

Answer:

The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) was introduced on 1 January 2026. As the Regulation has not been added to the scope of the Windsor Framework, it does not extend any obligation to NI based importers, including with respect to imports from GB.

On 26 November 2025, the UK Government announced its intention to legislate in the 2025-26 Finance Bill to introduce a UK CBAM from 1 January 2027, and they have confirmed that it will apply across the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland. They have stated their intention to continue to work with international partners, including the EU, to ensure implementation in a way that works for businesses.

Both I and my officials liaise closely with, and receive regular updates from, our counterparts across the relevant UK Government Departments with respect to CBAM policy. Through this engagement both I and my officials have stressed the importance of considering the interaction with the EU CBAM.

In May 2025, the UK Government and European Union agreed, as part of the Summit on their future partnership, to work towards linking the UK and EU Emissions Trading Schemes. Negotiations are currently underway between the parties. The establishment of a link between these two schemes would create the conditions for mutual CBAM exemptions, and I have written to counterparts in the UK Government to highlight the importance of this work.