The new rules of the European market are bringing new challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina: how well do they understand their own emissions, data, and processes, and how prepared are they to meet the requirements that are increasingly affecting export-oriented businesses?

These were the key topics of the two-day CBAM training for SMEs, organized by Eda – Enterprise Development Agency within the DESET project – Digitally Enabled Sustainable Energy Transition of Manufacturing SMEs.

The training was designed to provide participants with a practical understanding of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), its potential impact on SME operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, obligations related to data collection and reporting, and possible strategies for compliance and business adaptation.

During the training, participants were introduced to the main objectives of the CBAM mechanism, the covered sectors and products, regulatory obligations, EU customer requirements, the risks of non-compliance, carbon costs, and the potential operational impact on small and medium-sized enterprises.

Special attention was devoted to the system for monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of emissions. The sessions covered data sources, emission factors, manufacturers’ CO₂ declarations, data traceability, emission calculations, allocation of emissions to products, data quality management, and verification requirements.

The second part of the training focused on how the CBAM system can become an integral part of everyday business operations. Participants discussed the organization of CO₂ data management systems, the distribution of roles and responsibilities, documentation management, cooperation with suppliers, and opportunities for system improvement and digitalization. Through a practical case study based on steel processing, participants also examined a monitoring plan, data collection, reporting procedures, data quality control, and the calculation of CBAM certificate costs.

One of the key messages of the training was that preparedness for CBAM cannot be achieved overnight. It is built gradually through a better understanding of business processes, a clearer allocation of responsibilities, more reliable data, and the ability of companies to translate regulatory requirements into concrete business actions.

For export-oriented SMEs, CBAM is not merely a reporting obligation. It is also a test of how well a company understands its own production processes, emissions, supply chains, and future market requirements. Preparing for CBAM can therefore become an important step toward building a more competitive, resilient, and sustainable business.

The training was implemented within the DESET project, which aims to promote the energy transition and digital transformation of manufacturing SMEs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, contributing to the creation of a more resilient, innovative, and sustainable industrial ecosystem.

The DESET project is implemented by DIH IDEMO, consisting of Eda – Enterprise Development Agency as the lead partner, together with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Banja Luka, the Chamber of Commerce of Republika Srpska, the Innovation Centre Banja Luka, and the Development Agency of Republika Srpska.

The DESET project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, within the framework of the EU Initiative for Private Sector Development.