The BRICS countries, including China, India, and Russia, have opposed the introduction of the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). They called it a punitive measure.

The comments come from the 12th BRICS Environment and Climate Ministers’ Meeting, held under India’s chairship in New Delhi.

BRICS includes the following countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE. However, Saudi Arabia has not attended the meeting.

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“We oppose unilateral, punitive, discriminatory and protectionist measures that are not in line with international law, such as carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAM),” according to the joint statement of the ministers.

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CBAM entered into force on January 1. Since the beginning of this year, firms in the EU that import aluminium, cement, electricity, iron and steel, hydrogen and fertilisers from non-EU countries are obliged to pay a carbon price under CBAM.

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During the CBAM reporting phase, firms producing high-emission steel reduced their exports to the EU. At the same time, lower-emission businesses maintained their export volumes, according to the June 2026 analysis by Nature Climate Change.

The reporting phase started in October 2023 and ended in December 2025.

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The CBAM aims to protect European businesses against cheaper goods from economies outside the EU with lower environmental standards that lack carbon taxation.

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