Washing machines, steel storage cabinets and alloy wheels could face a new import cost if the EU extends the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to selected finished goods from 2028. The proposal is still under negotiation; MATERIA’s modelling examines how the emissions from their steel and aluminium could affect import costs.
How sourcing changes the estimate
In our 2028 model, a steel storage cabinet incurs €4.15 in certificate costs using China’s default emissions values, compared with €0.62 in the lower-emissions sourcing case. Both scenarios use the same quantities of metal, showing how production emissions can change the cost of importing the same finished product.
The initial bill also reflects the remaining free-allocation adjustment. As that adjustment declines, the amount payable can increase even if the product’s materials and their emissions stay unchanged. Our projections examine this effect alongside changes in carbon prices through 2034.
Download the full report
The 24-page report, “CBAM in everyday products”, contains the washing-machine, cabinet and alloy-wheel case studies, with material assumptions, sourcing comparisons and cost projections from 2028 to 2034.
Download it through the form below to see the full results.
