Skopje, 13 February 2026 (MIA) - Minister of European Affairs Bekim Sali participated in an online ministerial meeting on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), organized by the European Commission to brief Western Balkan countries on the latest developments related to the implementation of CBAM which entered into force on January 1, 2026.   

Sali underscored the country's commitment to the European decarbonization goals and alignment with the EU’s climate and energy legislation, noting that the Government adopted the draft Law on Climate Action in January 2026, 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, the Ministry of European Affairs said in a press release.  

The Minister pointed out that the country is also actively working on integrating the electricity market with the European system, which is an important part of the gradual inclusion into the common European electricity market.

"As regards CBAM, the Minister stressed that North Macedonia supports the objectives of the mechanism, but 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," reads the press release.

Sali called for careful and gradual implementation, including an extension of the transitional period, in order to avoid unintended effects on regional markets and support the integration of renewable energy sources.

Photo: Ministry of European Affairs