EU launches CCP tender for CBAM certificate sales (Feb 2027 live)
The European Commission and all 27 EU Member States have issued a joint call for tender to build the Common Central Platform (CCP)—the payment system through which businesses will purchase CBAM certificates starting 1 February 2027. The CCP will manage sales, repurchases, and reconciliation of certificates covering embedded emissions in carbon-intensive imports. Tenders close 6 April 2026; the contractor must deliver a pre-operational version by 31 August 2026 and achieve full operational status by 1 February 2027.
Photo: RDNE Stock project / Pexels# EU Launches Joint Call for Tender to Build CBAM Certificate Platform
On 2 March 2026, the European Commission and all 27 EU Member States announced a joint call for tender to procure the Common Central Platform (CCP)—a dedicated payment system that will handle the sale and management of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) certificates from 1 February 2027 onward. The tender remains open until 6 April 2026 at 5:00 PM (CET).
What the CCP will do
The CCP is a critical piece of CBAM infrastructure. Starting 1 February 2027, Member States will use the platform to sell CBAM certificates to importers and producers of carbon-intensive goods. The platform must support three core operations:
- Sales of new certificates to cover embedded emissions in imported goods
- Repurchase of certificates (for compliance and trading)
- Reconciliation between declarants and the system
"CBAM certificates will be key to ensure a level playing field between EU and non-EU producers of carbon intensive goods, addressing the risk of carbon leakage," the Commission stated.
The CCP is therefore central to CBAM's transition from the transitional phase (which ended 31 December 2025) to the reporting and payment phase.
Procurement timeline and milestones
After more than one year of collaboration, all Member States and the Commission signed a Joint Procurement Agreement on 15 December 2025. The formal call for tender was published in the Official Journal on 11 February 2026.
The contractor awarded the CCP contract must meet strict delivery deadlines:
- By 31 August 2026: deliver a pre-operational version incorporating all core functionalities, ready for testing and validation.
- By 1 February 2027: achieve full operational readiness and begin live operations.
These dates align precisely with CBAM's entry into its reporting and payment phase, when Member States begin issuing actual certificates and importers must start purchasing them to cover their embedded emissions.
What this means for shippers
If your shipments of carbon-intensive goods (cement, iron, steel, aluminium, fertilisers, hydrogen, or electricity) enter the EU from 1 February 2027 onward, you will need CBAM certificates. The CCP tender now underway will determine the platform's technical reliability, speed, and user experience—critical for timely compliance. Monitor the Official Journal tender documents closely and, if you are a large importer or manufacturer of in-scope goods, consider early engagement with the CCP provider once awarded. Delays in platform testing or rollout could directly block your EU imports.
Learn how CBAM affects your landed costs and certificate requirements: /cbam
