The EU’s CBAM committee has voted to accept benchmarks and default emissions values before the full implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on January 1, 2026. The Commission’s official endorsement is scheduled for December 16, SteelOrbis understands.
According to the confirmed report released by the European Commission, each Combined Nomenclature (CN) code receives both a process benchmark for use in actual-data calculations and a default benchmark for default-value calculations. For many flat, semi and long products, including hot rolled coil, cold rolled coil, galvanized products, slab, billet, rebar, and wire rod, three separate benchmark values are provided reflecting the BF-BOF, DRI-EAF and scrap-EAF routes.
The confirmed report showed that some changes have been made to the values, compared to the leaked draft document:
| Product | Draft benchmark Co2e/t (BF/BOF) | Confirmed benchmark Co2e/t (BF/BOF) | Draft benchmark Co2e/t (DRI/EAF) | Confirmed benchmark Co2e/t (DRI/EAF) | Draft benchmark Co2e/t (Scrap/EAF) | Confirmed benchmark Co2e/t (Scrap/EAF) |
| Hot rolled flats | 1.530 | 1.370 | 1.033 | 0.481 | 0.288 | 0.072 |
| Cold rolled flats | 1.641 | 1.458 | 1.124 | 0.533 | 0.350 | 0.108 |
| Coated products | 1.692 | 1.491 | 1.175 | 0.567 | 0.400 | 0.141 |
| Bars and rods | 1.520 | 1.364 | 1.023 | 0.475 | 0.279 | 0.066 |
| Semis | 1.520 | 1.364 | 1.023 | 0.475 | 0.279 | 0.066 |
Using these draft figures, market insiders have already calculated the approximate CBAM costs, and the results have once again triggered a negative reaction among traders and, in particular, foreign suppliers. According to these preliminary estimates, the CBAM charge for HRC originating from Indonesia would exceed €500/mt, while material from India would face a cost of around €230/mt. For Vietnam and Turkey, the calculated CBAM burden is slightly above €80/mt.
