The Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) made public its opinion on Wednesday in Rabat regarding the effects of the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), a measure set to take effect in early 2026 that could alter the playing field for Moroccan exporters.
Presenting this report, CESE President Abdelkader Amara emphasized the strategic importance of the issue: “The European Union is Morocco’s primary trading partner. The introduction of the CBAM will therefore have a direct impact on the competitiveness of our exports and our companies’ ability to adapt to new global environmental requirements.”
### Limited Impact, But Challenges Ahead
In the short term, the effect of this mechanism on Morocco remains limited: only 3.7% of exports to the EU are affected, with 2.9% linked to fertilizers. However, the CESE warns of an underlying trend that could expand to other sectors, imposing increasingly heavy technical and financial constraints on industries.
The rapporteur on the matter, Amine Mounir Alaoui, reminded that the CBAM is part of the Green Deal for Europe, which aims for climate neutrality by 2050. It will initially concern the products with the highest CO2 emissions: steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, hydrogen, and electricity.
### Morocco Already Committed to Transition
The Council highlights that the Kingdom is not lagging in this area. For several years, ambitious policies regarding energy, the environment, and low-carbon industry have been deployed, with a stated goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
Nevertheless, several vulnerabilities remain: a shortage of specialized human resources, difficulty in accessing reliable and standardized information, costly technical requirements, and delays in the operationalization of certain decarbonization projects.
### Four Priorities to Prepare Exporters
To anticipate the effects of the CBAM, the CESE recommends:
1. Establishing an institutional and operational framework to support exporters.
2. Adopting a national carbon pricing strategy that is progressive and coherent.
3. Accelerating the low-carbon strategy.
4. Strengthening international and regional cooperation to protect the competitiveness of Moroccan companies.
This opinion, adopted unanimously during the 173rd ordinary session of the CESE on August 28, illustrates a new phase in the national reflection on the interplay between international trade, ecological transition, and industrial sovereignty.