The House of Representatives of the Netherlands has adopted a motion urging the government to begin urgent discussions with the steel and aluminum sectors over rising costs linked to implementation challenges in the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
According to a statement from the Royal Dutch Steel Federation, lawmakers expressed concern that delays and operational constraints in the CBAM system are causing companies to face emissions charges that do not reflect their actual carbon footprint.
Verifier shortage leads to inflated emissions values
A key issue highlighted by industry representatives is the shortage of accredited emissions verifiers. Due to limited verification capacity, many Dutch companies are forced to rely on EU default emission values when reporting the carbon intensity of imported materials.
In practice, these default values are often significantly higher than the actual emissions generated during production. As a result, companies processing steel and aluminum in the Netherlands are facing unexpectedly high compliance costs under CBAM.
Government asked to examine temporary national solutions
The parliamentary motion calls on the Dutch government to engage with the affected sectors and examine potential temporary national solutions within four months.
The objective is to prevent excessive price increases and avoid creating an uneven competitive environment between EU-based manufacturers and products imported from outside the bloc.
Industry groups warn of pricing uncertainty
The technology industry association FME and the Royal Dutch Steel Federation emphasized that the issue requires rapid action. Many manufacturers typically set pricing for the following year during the summer period, meaning that clarity on CBAM-related costs is needed soon to avoid supply chain disruptions and price volatility.
Both organizations stated that they are prepared to work closely with the Dutch Ministry and their member companies to identify short-term national measures that could help mitigate unnecessary CBAM-related costs. At the same time, they are participating in discussions at the EU level to develop longer-term solutions, including improved access to verified emissions data.