Posted on 22 Jan 2026
Iron and steel imports into the EU have accounted for the lion’s share of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) goods entering the bloc since 1 January, Kallanish learns from customs data.
The data, which covers the first reporting window from 1-6 January, shows that CBAM imports declared totalled 1,655,613 tonnes.
Within this, iron and steel accounted for 98%. Fertilisers accounted for 1.2%, cement 0.5% and aluminium 0.3%, while electricity and hydrogen saw 0%.
The main countries of origin of CBAM-covered imports included Türkiye, China, India, Canada, Taiwan and Vietnam, while the top importing member states were Belgium, Spain, Romania, Netherlands, France and Germany.
Seamless interconnection of the CBAM Registry with National Customs Import Systems, Taric and EU Customs Single Window by member states ensured real-time data exchange, efficient validation of declarants, and uninterrupted import procedures at EU external borders, the European Commission notes.
It adds that national authorities are reporting stable processing times, however, some industry sources have seen minor delays at some ports related to paperwork issues.
The progress demonstrates the EU’s capacity to deploy complex climate policy instruments without hindering trade, while reinforcing transparency, fairness, and climate ambition across global supply chains, the Commission says.
Other data show more than 4,100 CBAM economic operators successfully obtained CBAM authorised declarant status across the EU prior to and immediately after 1 January. From 1-7 January, 10,483 Import Customs Declarations with CBAM goods were validated automatically and in real time via integrated customs systems.
Source:EUROMETAL
