European steel prices are rebounding as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) begins to materially affect import costs, according to Emil Ceglarski, procurement director at Polish steel distributor Konstal.
Ceglarski said that while CBAM’s transition phase from October 2023 to end-2025 had limited price impact, carbon-related charges are now being reflected in market prices. The mechanism requires importers to pay for embedded emissions, aligning import costs with those faced by EU producers.
Konstal has reduced imports from non-EU suppliers, citing regulatory uncertainty and rising costs. Prices for ribbed bars, flat products, and cold-formed sections have increased by around 10–12 percent from recent lows.
Further price increases are expected, particularly in the second half of the year, when safeguard measures may tighten quotas and raise certain import tariffs from 25 percent to 50 percent.
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