Does CBAM apply to my product if my customer ships through a non-EU port?

CBAM applies on EU customs entry. The shipping route does not change scope. CN code 72 and 73 covers iron & steel; verify your specific code.

What CN codes are covered for iron and steel under CBAM?

CBAM covers all goods classified under Chapters 72 (iron and steel) and 73 (articles of iron and steel) of the EU Combined Nomenclature. Specific examples include 7208 (flat-rolled products), 7213 (bars and rods), 7301 (sheet piling), and 7318 (screws, bolts, nuts). Verify your exact CN code against Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/956.

How does CBAM calculate emissions if I do not submit verified data?

Under Regulation (EU) 2025/2621, importers without verified actual emissions data must use country × product default values published by the European Commission. Default values include a statutory markup: 10% in 2026, 20% in 2027, and 30% from 2028 onwards. Submitting verified actual data from your installation, verified by an accredited verifier, almost always produces a lower CBAM liability than the default.

When is the first CBAM declaration due for iron and steel?

The first annual CBAM declaration is due 30 September 2027, covering imports made during calendar year 2026. Quarterly transitional reports continued through Q4 2025. From 1 January 2026, only the EU importer filing with the EU Registry may import covered iron and steel goods.

My customer asked for an XML in a format I have never seen.

The current CBAM schema applies. Carbon Mandate compiles it from your plant data — you do not produce the XML yourself.

How are BF-BOF, EAF, and DRI-EAF routes treated differently?

Annex IV of the CBAM Regulation defines distinct calculation methodologies for each production route. Blast furnace + basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) typically carries the highest emission factor at around 2.0–2.3 tCO₂e per tonne. Electric arc furnace (EAF) carries lower direct emissions, often 0.3–0.5 tCO₂e per tonne, but is sensitive to grid electricity mix. Direct reduction iron (DRI-EAF) sits between the two, depending on whether reduction uses natural gas or hydrogen.

What changes if I switch from BF-BOF to EAF mid-year?

Route-mix declarations are supported. Annex IV requires per-batch attribution where production routes differ.

What happens if my CBAM XML fails verification?

The EU importer filing with the EU Registry will reject the XML and request corrections. Common rejection reasons include CN code mismatches, missing scrap-attribution data for EAF routes, default values exceeding the 20% threshold imposed from July 2024, and missing Annex IV calculation method declarations. Carbon Mandate's free XML scan checks file structure against CBAM schema requirements for iron and steel before transmission.

CN 72 · CN 73 · IRON & STEEL

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Default-value markup scheduleArt. 5(3) Reg (EU) 2025/2621

2026 default markupCurrent+10%above verified default

2027 default markup+20%above verified default

2028 default markup+30%above verified default

FREE EXPOSURE INSTRUMENT · IRON & STEEL

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Iron & steel

In scope

Covers screws, tubes, sections and precursors. Default benchmark applies until verified actuals.

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Emission data · Validation

The published Annex I defaults for this sector, and the rules every XML is checked against before release.

Annex I default emission values

Country	Route	tCO₂e/t	CN
Turkey	BF-BOF	1.96	7206 10 00
India	BF-BOF	2.64	7206 10 00
China	BF-BOF	1.74	7206 10 00
South Korea	BF-BOF	1.64	7206 10 00
Ukraine	BF-BOF	1.97	7206 10 00
Brazil	BF-BOF	1.48	7206 10 00
Indonesia	BF-BOF	8.21	7206 10 00
Other	BF-BOF	3.75	7206 10 00

Source: Reg (EU) 2025/2621 Annex I · PDF-verified · carbonmandate.com

Validation rules applied to this sector

IS-01Declared CN code falls outside chapters 72/73 — verifier will reject.error

IS-02Root reportingPeriod element missing — required for every declaration.error

IS-03Producer EORI does not match member-state format pattern.warning

IS-04Total embedded emissions cannot be zero for declared production volume.error

IS-05calculationMethodId missing — Annex IV requires explicit declaration of method used.error

IS-06EAF production declared but scrapInputRatio missing — Annex IV requires scrap-tonne attribution.warning

47 rules total · full rule set applied on every scan

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Regulatory calendar

The dates that move the liability.

Every deadline below is fixed by Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2025/2083. Plan verifier bookings, ACD applications, and supplier data collection against the regulatory calendar below — not the financial year.

1 Jan 2026Definitive period started—
31 Mar 2026Late ACD application deadline—
1 Feb 2027CBAM certificate purchasing opens—
30 Sep 2027First annual CBAM declaration due—

Source: Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2025/2083

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