EUROMETAL urges Brussels to clarify CBAM rules by 2026

The European Federation for Steel, Pipes and Metals Distribution and Trade (EUROMETAL) has officially sent a letter to EU Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic after meetings with the Directorate General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD) and the Directorate General for Trade (DG TRADE), warning that the legal framework for the Carbon Boundary Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is still not completed until its final stage in January 2026.

Key elements such as benchmarks and standard values, the methodology for recognizing carbon prices paid in third countries, and adjustments related to the free distribution of ETS are still unresolved and unlikely to be completed before early 2026.

Industry risks for the steel supply chain

The lack of timely guidance is already creating uncertainty throughout the steel supply chain, EUROMETAL noted, adding that many members are currently negotiating contracts for 2026 without legal clarity, exposing them to speculative market behavior, contractual disputes and market distortions, especially harmful to SMEs with limited resources to handle complex compliance controls

EUROMETAL recommendations

In its letter, EUROMETAL outlines several urgent measures for the European Commission:

• Publish preliminary values and benchmarks without further delay.
• Specify the volume of CBAM products.
• Accelerate the exchange of information on the export adjustment mechanism.
• Consider