China Iron and Steel Association said the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment
Mechanism (CBAM), implemented in Jan 2026, shows “clear discriminatory
tendencies” due to large gaps between default emissions values and China’s
actual steel emissions.
The association said EU default emission factors are nearly double China’s real
levels and higher than those of comparable countries. It estimated that in 2025,
China exported about 10.52 million tons of CBAM-covered steel products to the
EU.
While the short-term impact is limited, the association warned that effects will
increase as EU free emission allowances are gradually phased out.
