MACF / CBAM : the complete decryption of the webinar of 13 May 2025
On Tuesday, 13 May, DGEC organized a new webinar in partnership with the French Customs. This exchange provided an update on the application for the status of registrant authorised for importers and on the proposals for simplification of the rules envisaged by the European Commission.
After 18 months of transitional period for the application of the rules to decarbonize imports, the DGEC presented the next key steps for importers of products affected by MACF. Much relevant and concrete information has been provided. Here is a summary of the key points of this exchange.
Reminder of key elements and dates to be used :
- OMNIBUS Act of 26 February 2025: the main information to be retained is the revision of the exemption threshold
- Regulation EU 2025/486 of 17 March 2025: procedures for obtaining and maintaining the status of authorised MACF registrant
- MACF 2.0 registry opened on 31 March 2025: unique platform to use for the final phase of MACF
- Next important deadline as of 1 January 2026: entry into force of the status of authorized registrant
MACF registrant status : As from January 2026, only operators with the status of authorised registrant may import the products concerned definitively. This status, once obtained, remains valid unless there is a major regulatory breach.
How to become an authorized registrant ?
- Have an EORI number (based on the company's Siren number), which is requested via the Customs SOPRANO teleservice
- Have an EU LOGIN account to access European teleservices including the MACF 2.0 register
- Complete and transmit to the Local Economic Action Centre (LEP) the enabling form to open access
- Place your application on the MACF 2.0 register
Which documents are mandatory ?
- A certificate of tax regularity dated less than 3 months at the time of application
- Proof of financial capacity (related to the purchase of MACF certificates): tax cut or bank guarantee for companies established for less than 2 years
- A statement of honour attesting to the absence of a criminal conviction of the MACF leader and responsible for the MACF statements
- Estimated import volumes: customs codes and quantities of products to be imported
The processing of applications will be prioritized according to the weight of goods imported in 2024. Volumes of more than 50 tonnes will be treated as a matter of priority, followed by volumes between 10 and 50 tonnes which will be taken into account from the second half. Applications under 10 tonnes will be denied access to the MACF 2.0 portal. Set up by the DGEC, these rules were passed on to EAPs that validate the authorizations to access the MACF 2.0 registry.
The legal deadline for processing applications is four months. The DGEC invites importers to submit their applications as soon as possible in order to ensure prompt processing, specifying a response time between one and two months.
Concerning the Proposal for a law OMNIBUS A consultation is planned in June for possible adoption this summer or even September. DGEC was reassuring on the change from the EUR 150 exemption threshold per consignment to a mass threshold of 50 tonnes. If this new threshold is not validated, applications in France will open for importers of less than 10 tonnes, but no blockage of goods will be applied if the deadline is too short.
Finally, an update on sanctions was discussed: as the transitional period comes to an end at the end of the year, the DGEC will tighten the screw, especially with regard to importers of large volumes who have not yet filed quarterly emission reports. Infringement notification letters will soon be sent. In the event of non-compliance, penalties will be applied.
You can find the webinar replay on the dedicated DGEC page.