Assofermet, the Italian association representing companies in the steel, metals, scrap and hardware sectors, has submitted a formal request to the European Commission to address the growing uncertainty surrounding the application of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) regulation on steel and aluminum imports, reiterating the need for transitional measures to safeguard the European supply chain. The new communication, dated December 5, 2025, highlights that the absence of definitive parameters for calculating CBAM costs - benchmarks and default values, expected only in the first quarter of 2026 - is forcing operators and importers to plan procurement “blindly”, with potential impacts on the entire continental manufacturing sector.
According to the association, this lack of clarity makes it impossible to assess the actual cost of supplies scheduled for delivery in 2026, since related CBAM charges will only emerge in February 2027. This situation, Assofermet warns, is generating significant market instability for trade, distribution, service centers and producers that regularly purchase semi-finished and raw steel and aluminum products from non-EU countries, with potential ripple effects across the European steel chain and export-oriented processing industry.
To avoid such consequences, Assofermet proposes a temporary exemption from the obligation to purchase CBAM certificates for all steel and aluminum imports cleared from January 1, 2026, until five months after the publication of the definitive reference parameters. This request, already shared with Italy’s foreign affairs and industry ministries (MAECI and MIMIT), aims to secure a more balanced and sustainable initial phase of CBAM implementation, preventing distortions in purchasing decisions and operational challenges along the supply chain.
Assofermet has also reaffirmed its readiness to cooperate with European and national institutions to ensure a gradual and effective transition to the new regulatory framework, maintaining a balance between the EU’s environmental goals and the need to protect industrial competitiveness. The association stresses that, without corrective measures, the current regulatory scenario risks creating further instability for Europe’s production system, already under pressure from energy costs and procurement constraints.