CountEmissionsEU Explained: What it means for you

{{highlight-text}}

Transport emissions reporting in Europe is about to get a lot more standardized. Right now, companies calculating their transport-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can choose from a range of different methodologies and approaches, which makes it nearly impossible to compare data across organizations or supply chains. 

The EU is changing that with CountEmissionsEU, a new regulation that will set a single, binding standard for how transport emissions are calculated and disclosed. If your business manages, operates, or outsources any form of transport activity, this regulation applies to you. Here is what it means in practice and what you can do to get ready.

What is CountEmissionsEU?

CountEmissionsEU is an incoming EU regulation that establishes a uniform standard for accounting for greenhouse gas emissions from transport services. In plain terms: if a company in the EU discloses its transport-related emissions, it must use the methodology defined by CountEmissionsEU to do so.

The regulation is based on EN ISO 14083:2023, the international standard for quantifying and reporting GHG emissions from transport chain operations. The Council of the EU adopted its first-reading position in February 2026, and formal publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) is expected later in 2026. It will come into force 20 days after publication and companies will have 48 months to fully comply. 

During this time, the European Union will complete the following:

• A database for emission factors (energy carriers) must be ready within 24 months.
• A database for emission intensities must be ready within 42 months.
• A free EU calculation tool for SMEs must be publicly accessible within 48 months.

How to figure out if CountEmissionsEU impacts you

The regulation applies to thousands of organizations that manage or outsource transport activities. These companies usually fall into one of the two groups: 

• You already report transport emissions to meet clients’ requests, as part of tender submissions, or as part of a voluntary or mandatory sustainability report
• You will likely have to calculate and disclose emissions data in the future to win tenders, retain clients, as part of your sustainability strategy, or to meet regulatory requirements. 

One nuance worth noting is that voluntarily disclosing emissions data does not mean you can choose to ignore the standard. Once it is in force, if you opt to disclose transport emissions data—whether legally required to or not—you must comply with CountEmissionsEU.

The three core principles of CountEmissionsEU

1. Mandatory standard for anyone who discloses

Emissions reporting for transport is not mandatory for all companies under CountEmissionsEU. But if you disclose GHG emissions from your transport operations, you must align with the CountEmissionsEU methodology. Voluntary disclosure does not exempt you from the standard.

2. External emissions calculation tools must be certified

Any external carbon accounting software or emissions calculator used to calculate transport emissions must be certified by an independent body to confirm compliance with EN ISO 14083:2023.

Companies currently using uncertified calculators, internal spreadsheet models, or generic carbon accounting tools will need to switch to a certified alternative before the regulation takes effect.

3. Primary data takes priority

CountEmissionsEU requires companies to prioritize primary data, such as actual fuel consumption figures, real load data, and verified carrier inputs, over secondary data such as default emission factors or industry averages. Secondary data is only acceptable where primary data is not reasonably available.

This means stronger data collection processes are not optional. Companies that have not yet built direct data flows from their carriers and transport operations will need to start that work now.

How to prepare for CountEmissionsEU

While CountEmissionsEU doesn’t come into force for some time yet, it’s worth preparing ahead of time so you avoid any last-minute panic or disruptive changes to your existing processes. Plus, clients will likely start expecting CountEmissionsEU-aligned disclosures in the meantime. Follow these three steps to prepare in advance:  

Step 1: Audit your current calculation methods

Start by mapping how your organization currently calculates and reports emissions, including if you don’t do this currently. Then you can identify the gaps between your current approach and what CountEmissionsEU requires (see the principles above).

Step 2: Check if your existing tool is verified for ISO 14083

Check if your existing emissions calculation tool—if you’re using one—is independently verified against EN ISO 14083:2023. If it’s not, now is the time to switch so start looking at compliant tools. Many of these more advanced tools will also offer valuable features like what-if energy shift modeling and detailed shipment-level insights that help reduce emissions. 

Step 3: Build primary data collection into your workflows

Establish the main data points relevant to your operations (see our guidance on how to identify the right data points), and check what you have available in your existing files and systems. This will include data points like actual fuel consumption, vehicle registration details, load factors, and journey data. 

If your transport operations involve third parties, then you’ll need to work with them to establish direct data flows for these datapoints. All of this doesn’t need to happen overnight, but building the infrastructure now will prevent a stressful few months once it's in force. 

Where primary data is not yet available, document clearly why and what secondary data source you are using as an interim measure. 

What CountEmissionsEU means for different types of companies

CountEmissionsEU affects both those who manage transport operations (such as carriers) for external parties and those who operate their own transport or outsource it (such as shippers). 

Carriers, freight forwarders, and LSPs 

If you are a carrier, freight forwarder, or logistics service provider (LSP), CountEmissionsEU will define how you report emissions to your customers. Transparent, methodology-aligned emissions data will increasingly be a condition of doing business with major shippers. Carriers that can provide ISO 14083-compliant data quickly and reliably will have a practical advantage in procurement and contract discussions.

Shippers

If you are a shipper, CountEmissionsEU makes it straightforward to request comparable emissions data from every transport provider across your network. That data becomes the foundation for more meaningful reduction targets and more informed modal shift decisions.

Get ready for CountEmissionsEU with BigMile

With the second reading of CountEmissionsEU underway, the timeline for adoption is getting shorter. BigMile helps you calculate emissions using standardized, ISO 14083-aligned methodologies across all transport modes.

This gives you a certified foundation for CountEmissionsEU compliance as well as providing a range of other benefits from winning tenders to identifying emissions reduction initiatives. Book a demo to see how it works in practice