The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs, Bekim Sali, participated in the ministerial meeting dedicated to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), where he emphasized North Macedonia’s commitment to the European decarbonization goals and alignment with the EU’s climate and energy legislation.
The meeting was organized by the European Commission with the aim of informing the Western Balkan countries about the latest developments related to the implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which entered into force on 1 January 2026 and has direct implications for the enlargement process and the energy sectors in the region.
He underlined that in January 2026, the Government adopted the draft Law on Climate Action, which establishes the legal basis for a system of monitoring, reporting, verification and accreditation of emissions, as a key step towards the introduction of carbon pricing.
Minister Sali noted that the country is also actively working on the integration of the electricity market with the European system, which is an important part of the gradual inclusion into the common European electricity market.
Regarding CBAM, the Minister stressed that North Macedonia supports the objectives of the mechanism, but that it is necessary to take into account the specific characteristics of candidate countries and the contracting parties of the Energy Community, particularly due to their exposure to price differences and technical challenges in cross-border electricity trade.
He called for careful and gradual implementation, including an extension of the transitional period, in order to avoid unintended effects on regional markets and to support the integration of renewable energy sources.
Minister Sali underlined that North Macedonia remains strongly committed to the European Green Agenda and to the gradual introduction of carbon pricing instruments, with the ultimate goal of a fully integrated, secure and decarbonized European energy market.
