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India's Steelmakers Face EU Carbon Tax Reckoning
30 Jan
Summary
- EU's CBAM shifts from reporting to taxation in 2026.
- Indian steel exporters face EU market access challenges.
- FTA talks with EU offer no relief from carbon rules.

The European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is set to move from a reporting phase to actual taxation starting in 2026. This significant shift poses a costly transition for Indian steelmakers, who must urgently reduce their carbon emissions or risk losing access to their most profitable export market.
Discussions around a potential India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) have not yielded any concessions regarding the new carbon regulations. Consequently, Indian producers have received a clear directive: enhance environmental sustainability swiftly to retain European customers. The immediate impact is already being felt, with small-scale Indian steel exporters experiencing initial CBAM-related disruptions, including shipments being held at European ports and facing order cancellations.




