CBAM for Chinese exporters
From February 2027, EU importers pay for CBAM certificates on the emissions in what they buy. If you can't share your real emissions data, your buyer must use the EU's default value for China, plus a mark-up that grows every year. That cost usually comes back to you in the price.
The official numbers for China
Default values in tCO2e per tonne of good, then with the mark-up for each year (10 % in 2026, 20 % in 2027, 30 % from 2028). The gross cost uses the 2026-Q3 certificate price of €82.32, before the free allocation adjustment and any carbon price paid in China, so the amount owed is usually lower.
Steel
| CN code | Product | Default value | 2026 | 2027 | 2028+ | Gross cost per tonne, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7208 | Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width >= 600 mm, hot-rolled, not… | 3.187 | 3.506 | 3.824 | 4.143 | €314.79 |
7209 | Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, cold-rolled | 3.205 | 3.526 | 3.846 | 4.167 | €316.60 |
7210 | Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width >= 600 mm, hot-rolled or cold-rolled | 3.205 | 3.526 | 3.846 | 4.167 | €316.60 |
7213 | Bars and rods of iron or non-alloy steel, hot-rolled, in irregularly wound coils | 3.169 | 3.486 | 3.803 | 4.12 | €313.06 |
72142000 | Bars and rods, of iron or non-alloy steel, with indentations, ribs, groves or other… | 3.169 | 3.486 | 3.803 | 4.12 | €313.06 |
72191100 | Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, not further worked… | 5.58 | 6.138 | 6.696 | 7.254 | €551.21 |
73044100 | Tubes, pipes and hollow profiles, seamless, of circular cross-section, of stainless steel, cold-drawn or cold-rolled | 7.005 | 7.706 | 8.406 | 9.107 | €691.98 |
7305 | Tubes and pipes, having circular cross-sections and an external diameter of > 406,4 mm, of flat-rolled products of iron or steel | 2.585 | 2.844 | 3.102 | 3.361 | €255.36 |
73066192 | Tubes and pipes and hollow profiles, welded, of square or rectangular cross-section… | 3.565 | 3.922 | 4.278 | 4.635 | €352.16 |
Fasteners
| CN code | Product | Default value | 2026 | 2027 | 2028+ | Gross cost per tonne, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
731815 | Threaded screws and bolts, of iron or steel, whether or not with their nuts and washers | 6.375 | 7.013 | 7.65 | 8.288 | €629.75 |
731816 | Nuts of iron or steel | 5.045 | 5.55 | 6.054 | 6.559 | €498.37 |
73182200 | Washers of iron or steel (excl. spring washers and other lock washers) | 4.555 | 5.011 | 5.466 | 5.922 | €449.96 |
Aluminium
| CN code | Product | Default value | 2026 | 2027 | 2028+ | Gross cost per tonne, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7601 | Unwrought aluminium | 3 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.9 | €296.35 |
76041010 | Bars and rods | 4.881 | 5.369 | 5.857 | 6.345 | €482.15 |
7606 | Aluminium plates, sheets and strip, of a thickness exceeding 0,2 mm | 4.12 | 4.532 | 4.944 | 5.356 | €406.99 |
7608 | Aluminium tubes and pipes | 4.896 | 5.386 | 5.875 | 6.365 | €483.63 |
76169990 | Other | 5.559 | 6.115 | 6.671 | 7.227 | €549.16 |
Not your product? Look up any CN code, or browse every CBAM product.
Key dates
- 1 February 2027: CBAM certificates go on sale (source and history).
- 30 September 2027: the first annual CBAM declaration and certificate surrender, for goods imported in 2026 (source and history).
What to do
- Measure your real emissions. If they are below the default value, sharing them with your buyer lowers what they pay.
- Know your number. Buyers will compare suppliers on it. The table above is what they assume if you say nothing.
- Watch for changes. Aurelmark Alerts emails you the day a default value, the certificate price or a CBAM date changes: first 30 days free, then $29 a month.
Other countries: India · Türkiye · Ukraine · Vietnam · South Korea · Egypt · UAE · Brazil
Source: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2621, Annexes I and IV as replaced by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1740, published in the Official Journal on 31 July 2026 and applying from 1 January 2026 (official text). Certificate prices: European Commission. The mark-up figures are our arithmetic on the official totals; the binding figure is calculated in the EU's CBAM Registry. This is information, not legal or tax advice.