Commission issues summer guidance for CBAM verifiers, operators
The European Commission published guidelines on 24 August for the officials tasked with ensuring the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) functions as intended.
The guidance is for CBAM verifiers, who ensure that the declarations made by producers subject to the levy follow the rules.
It also provides information for the national bodies responsible for accrediting and supervising these verifiers.
The Commission published an overview of these accreditation bodies, and of their remits, on 24 July.
On 21 August, the EU executive shared a user’s manual for the register through which CBAM declarations must be submitted. On 14 August, it also issued a raft of documents for producers based in third countries — those directly affected by CBAM.
This included guidelines for each sector covered by the mechanism: aluminium, steel and iron, hydrogen, cement, fertilisers and electricity.
The Commission also used the summer period to publish an amended version of the default values used to determine the emissions to be attributed to goods for which no verified actual data is available (Excel version available here).
Guidance on CBAM verification and accreditation for verifiers and national accreditation bodies
State-of-play CBAM accreditation
CBAM-UMN-UI-manual-Release-3.2-Declarants-Portal-SfA-v6.00-EN
European local HRC prices ease in Northern Europe as market awaits post-summer demand recovery
Prices for domestic steel hot-rolled coil edged down slightly in Northern Europe on lower indications from buyers, while the Italian market was still largely quiet and slow, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday August 21.
In Northern Europe, a buyer indicated workable prices within the range of €700-720 ($818-841) per tonne ex-works.
No other price points were received during the day as many market participants were still away.
For this reason, prices received on August 20 were carried over to the following day, in line with Fastmarkets methodology.
On Thursday, a seller source reported offers for material with delivery in the fourth quarter at €725-745 per tonne ex-works, and deals at €715 per tonne ex-works.
On the same day, a buyer source reported deals within the range of €730-740 per tonne ex-works and a second buyer indicated tradeable levels at €710-715 per tonne ex-works.
The market was still slow during the August holiday period, but sources said HRC consumption was increasing in Germany, with some mills targeting prices as high as €800 per tonne ex-works for deliveries in October.
But views on these increases were mixed, with some sources expecting buyers to pay such prices, while others were skeptical that the increases would be achieved.
“This is just targeting, I hear the same. But we need to wait and see who books what,” a trade source said on Friday.
The corresponding Fastmarkets’ daily steel hot-rolled coil index domestic, exw Northern Europe was calculated at €722.08 per tonne on August 21, down by €2.30 per tonne from €724.38 per tonne on August 20.
The index was up by €3.33 per tonne week on week and by €12.08 per tonne month on month.
In Italy, participants were expected to return to work in the week of August 24, so the market was largely inactive on Friday.
The latest offers and indications were reported within the range of €700-720 per tonne ex-works in the previous days.
As a result, Fastmarkets’ daily steel hot-rolled coil index domestic, exw Italy was €712.50 per tonne on August 21, unchanged from August 20.
The index was down by €1.25 per tonne week on week but up by €13.12 per tonne month on month.
EU trade barriers boost Polish distributors’ profitability
The introduction in the EU of CBAM and the new trade regime has stabilised and lifted steel prices, thereby improving the profitability of Poland’s stock market-listed steel distributors, Kallanish notes.
Demand and prices stabilised in the first half of 2026 following an earlier period of market correction, says distributor Bowim. Higher second-quarter prices on-year and the use of the first in first out (fifo) inventory method resulted in increased steel trading profitability, Stalprofil notes. Polish market participants also anticipate support from Poland’s local content scheme, which aims to raise domestic suppliers’ share in public infrastructure projects, it adds.
Bowim’s standalone first-half revenue fell 6% on-year to PLN 842.4 million ($228.2m) but the firm turned to a PLN 17.9m net profit versus a year-earlier loss of PLN 1.3m.
Stalprofil saw standalone H1 revenue rise 7% to PLN 579.1m and net profit balloon by 1,960% to PLN 10.2m.
Bowim however notes that “the market environment remains volatile, particularly in terms of energy costs, the pace of demand recovery in steel-consuming sectors, and geopolitical risks. In the company’s opinion, the gradual improvement in economic activity and the applicable regulations and trade conditions in the European Union may support the stabilisation of sales volumes and pricing conditions.”
Electrical steel and cold-formed sections producer Stalprodukt however had contrasting fortunes in H1. The firm has not yet published its preliminary results, but did specify that H1 electrical steel segment revenue dropped 36% compared to the average revenue for H1 2024 and 2025.
The decline is attributed to the “significant increase in sheet metal imports to Europe at prices notably deviating from European cost factors,” the firm notes. “The unfavourable cost factors that processors of steel, including transformer sheet, struggle with in international competition have deteriorated further. In the issuer’s opinion, this situation is the result of the conditions of carrying out production activities in the European Union.”
Author: Adam Smith
IW Köln pleads for retaining domestic steel production
The Cologne Economic Institute (IW Köln) has called for steel production to remain in Germany and Europe, and warns against relocating entire production stages.
In a recent study seen by Kallanish, it discusses challenges like high energy costs and low availability of hydrogen, against the backdrop of the steelmaking energy transition. European mills’ transition has been questioned by some who recommend that ironmaking via the DRI route be left to countries with abundant energy supply, for example in the Middle East.
IW Köln underlines that Germany’s manufacturing industries are intensely interwoven in a value chain characterised by international strength and sizeable exports. If parts of the chain break away, others will follow. According to IW Köln, half a million jobs in Germany are directly dependent on the steel industry, when including suppliers and direct customers. When ancillary steel-based industries are also taken into account, this figure could rise to 5 million jobs, the institute points out.
It also underlines the importance of regional proximity between business partners, and highlights security as one factor. Many overseas locations with low energy costs lack other basic prerequisites, like political stability and a functional transport infrastructure.
IW Köln concedes that imports of hydrogen and sponge iron could play a role in the German steel industry, which might need to reposition itself in an adjusting value chain.
In a reaction piece on LinkedIn, Salzgitter chief executive Gunnar Groebler agrees with IW’s findings. “A comparison limited to production costs is short-sighted. It ignores overall costs, risks and reliability of supply,” he writes.
A functional circular economy in Europe will only work on short distances, because transport costs are becoming the crucial driver to an increasing extent, Groebler writes. “You can always get your steel cheaper somewhere else. But what is the price for losing capacities?” he asks.
Author: Christian Koehl
Balkan Steel Market: Prices, Demand and Trade Outlook
Italian steel group bids for former Ilva assets amid ownership saga
Federacciai, Italy’s steel industry association, has submitted an expression of interest for ADI, Acciaierie d’Italia, the former Ilva steel plants, alongside 14 of its member companies, according to a Federacciai statement on Aug. 18, potentially offering a domestic solution for what was once Europe’s largest integrated steelmaking site.
The move comes as the Italian government continues to seek new ownership for the steelmaker following years of production disruptions, financial difficulties and environmental challenges.
The 14 companies joining Federacciai’s expression of interest represent a broad cross-section of Italy’s steel industry, ranging from specialty steelmakers to producers of carbon steel long and flat products. According to Federacciai’s statement, the companies in the consortium are: ABS Acciaierie Bertoli Safau, Acciaieria Arvedi, Acciaierie Venete, Advanced Steel Solutions (Gruppo Asonext), AFV Acciaierie Beltrame, Alfa Acciai, Compagnia Siderurgica Italiana, Duferco Travi e Profilati, Feralpi Siderurgica, Ferriera Valsabbia, Lucchini RS Holding, Marcegaglia Carbon Steel, O.R.I. Martin and Rubiera Special Steel.
The expression of interest concerns assets that have been at the center of Italy’s industrial policy debate for years, particularly since environmental concerns led to production restrictions at the Taranto facility. The site has a nominal crude steel production capacity of around 8 million metric tons/year and historically operated as an integrated steelworks using blast furnaces.
The breadth of the consortium suggests an effort to bring together the technical expertise and financial resources of Italy’s steel industry to address the complex industrial, financial and legal situation surrounding the former Ilva. However, the consortium’s bid covers only the downstream, or “cold-end,” operations. It does not include the upstream “hot-end” operations in Taranto, the heart of the integrated steelmaking process, where iron ore is converted into liquid steel, the association press officer told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, on the phone on Aug. 19.
The exclusion follows a July 27 court ruling ordering the shutdown of Ilva’s hot-end operations within 90 days on environmental grounds.
The former Ilva assets have been under extraordinary administration since Feb. 20, 2024, when special commissioners were appointed following a request from Italian state investment agency Invitalia and despite opposition from steelmaker ArcelorMittal, then the largest shareholder in Acciaierie d’Italia, or ADI.
ArcelorMittal acquired Ilva from the Italian government in 2018 in a deal valued at Eur1.8 billion ($1.95 billion). The company and the Italian government are now involved in legal disputes over ownership rights and compensation claims.
Before the consortium’s expression of interest, other potential buyers have also previously shown interest in ADI: India’s Jindal Group and US-based Flacks Group.
ADI is currently operating at a sharply reduced rate, with only its No. 2 blast furnace in Taranto, which has a capacity of around 2 million mt/year, in operation. ADI has three blast furnaces at the site, but BF2 is currently the only one running. BF4 began undergoing refurbishment in mid-March, while BF1 remains under seizure by Italian magistrates following a fire on May 7 last year.
Platts assessed domestic HRC in Southern Europe on Aug.18 at Eur710/mt ex-works Italy, stable day over day.
Author: Annalisa Villa
German steel industry presses for infrastructure action as Rhine disruption persists
Low water levels on the Rhine River continue to disrupt German steel logistics, prompting industry leaders to call for urgent government action to prevent recurring transport bottlenecks from becoming a permanent competitive disadvantage for the country’s manufacturing sector.
The persistent drought conditions affecting Europe’s most important industrial waterway have forced steelmakers to adapt their logistics strategies, with thyssenkrupp, the largest German steelmaker, maintaining its use of externally chartered vessels with lower draft capabilities to supply its Duisburg site. The company’s own push-barge fleet remains out of service due to insufficient water depth.
“The situation on the Rhine remains challenging,” a thyssenkrupp Steel spokesperson told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, on Aug. 18. The company’s dedicated low-water task force continues to monitor conditions closely, though customer supply remains secure for now through the deployment of specialized vessels secured as a precautionary measure.
The ongoing disruption has elevated the issue to the political agenda, with Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger convening high-level talks on Aug. 6 with industry representatives to address the structural vulnerabilities exposed by recurring low-water events.
The German Steel Association used the ministerial meeting to press for concrete infrastructure improvements and policy measures to mitigate future disruptions. Inland waterways handle approximately one-third of the steel industry’s transport volume, making Rhine navigability critical to maintaining competitive operations.
“The persistent low water situation poses considerable challenges for industry and jeopardizes the security of supply as well as the competitiveness of Germany as a business location,” said Kerstin Maria Rippel, managing director of the German Steel Association, following the Aug. 6 talks.
While steel companies have implemented precautionary measures including additional storage capacity and flexible logistics chains following previous low-water episodes, Rippel said industry cannot compensate for structural transport infrastructure deficits alone.
The association is calling for accelerated unloading optimization on the Middle and Lower Rhine, strengthened rail capacity as a reliable alternative route, and additional transport capacity on road and rail during crisis situations.
The Rhine’s water levels have been under pressure since mid-July following a summer heat wave and scarce rainfall. The German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration has reported record-low water levels in the Rhine River, with levels below 10 centimeters at the Kaub chokepoint in mid-August with the low water levels expected to persist through all August.
For thyssenkrupp Steel’s Duisburg site, one of Europe’s largest steelmaking hubs, the disruption has already necessitated adjustments to hot metal production due to constraints in raw material supply. The facility relies heavily on stable inbound logistics for iron ore, coal and other bulk inputs typically transported via the Rhine system from North Sea ports.
Author: Annalisa Villa
Romanian longs prices stable, weak demand keeps discounts in place
Following persistent downward pressure in recent weeks, Romania’s longs market has entered a more stable phase, with both the domestic mill and traders refraining from further headline price cuts this week. Nevertheless, the market stability remains fragile, as weak demand continues to weigh on business and discounts of €10-15/mt are still available in negotiations. Despite the approaching end of August, trading activity has yet to show any meaningful recovery, with the holiday period, sufficient inventories and tight liquidity keeping buyers cautious and purchases largely confined to immediate needs. Attention is therefore gradually shifting toward September, when market participants expect activity to pick up, while some Romanian buyers are already showing interest in Turkish material for potential new bookings.
Romanian traders are currently offering rebar at €610-615/mt ex-warehouse, broadly unchanged from last week. Workable levels, however, can fall by €10-15/mt depending on volumes and payment terms, as sellers remain willing to make concessions to secure the limited business available. Meanwhile, the country’s sole rebar producer, Beltrame, has also kept its quotations at €610-620/mt ex-works, although discounts of €10-15/mt are heard to be possible for larger volumes and serious inquiries.
Wire rod quotations have likewise remained at €650-660/mt ex-warehouse this week. Some flexibility is still possible during negotiations, but buying interest remains weak and transactions continue to be largely need-based.
On the import side, Turkish material has attracted more attention this week, as expectations of higher prices in Turkey, together with the continued strength of the scrap market, appear to have encouraged some Romanian buyers to make a move ahead of September. Market sources suggest that a few purchases may already have been concluded, although no details regarding volumes or transaction prices have emerged so far. Turkish rebar is currently quoted at $575-590/mt FOB, up from $570-580/mt FOB last week. With freight estimated at $25-30/mt, the corresponding delivered level is calculated at approximately €520-540/mt CFR Romania, compared to €520-530/mt CFR Romania previously. Egyptian offers have also increased this week. Rebar is currently quoted at $580-590/mt FOB, up from $575-580/mt FOB last week, while wire rod has risen to $600-610/mt FOB from $590-600/mt FOB. Including freight of approximately $30-35/mt, these levels correspond to €530-545/mt CFR Romania for rebar, compared to €525-535/mt CFR last week, and €550-560/mt CFR for wire rod, up from €540-550/mt CFR previously. Import activity from the EU, meanwhile, remains subdued. Bulgarian rebar offers are unchanged at €610-620/mt CPT Romania, though interest at these levels is still weak. Elsewhere in Europe, the summer holiday period continues to restrict trading activity and the availability of fresh quotations, leaving few new offers in the Romanian market for the time being.
Author: SteelOrbis Editorial Team
Bulgarian longs prices soften amid weak demand as discounts fade
The resistance seen in Bulgaria’s longs market earlier in August has finally started to break, with domestic quotations moving lower this week as the prolonged lack of demand leaves sellers with increasingly little room to defend previous levels. The seasonal slowdown, persistent liquidity constraints and sufficient inventories continue to restrict purchasing, while discounts that had previously been available mainly during negotiations are now being reflected more clearly in official quotations. With business still scarce, sellers have started to adjust prices in an effort to stimulate buying ahead of September.
Rebar quotations have accordingly declined to around €620-630/mt CPT, compared to €630-640/mt CPT last week. For serious buyers and larger-volume inquiries, however, levels close to €610/mt CPT are understood to be achievable. Wire rod has followed the same direction, with offers falling to approximately €660-670/mt CPT from €670-680/mt CPT previously, while around €650/mt CPT may be possible in negotiations.
Import demand remains very limited, as local consumption is weak, stocks are sufficient and many buyers are still in vacation mode. Nevertheless, following the recent increase in Turkish prices, some buying interest has been heard elsewhere in the Balkans, particularly in Romania, and similar activity may emerge in Bulgaria in the coming days. Turkish rebar offers have risen to around $575-590/mt FOB, compared to $570-580/mt FOB last week. With freight to Bulgaria estimated at around $25/mt, this corresponds to approximately €520-535/mt CFR Bulgaria, versus about €515-525/mt CFR previously. Egyptian rebar is meanwhile offered at around $580-590/mt FOB, resulting in an indicative level of approximately €530-540/mt CFR Bulgaria with freight of around $30/mt, compared to roughly €530-535/mt CFR last week. Egyptian wire rod offers have increased to $600-610/mt FOB from $590-600/mt FOB, bringing the corresponding delivered level to around €545-555/mt CFR Bulgaria, versus approximately €540-550/mt CFR previously. No notable European offers have been heard this week, as the regional holiday period continues, while fresh quotations are expected to return from the beginning of September.
European local steel heavy plate markets largely quiet amid summer slowdown; higher offers emerge in Italy
Domestic prices for steel heavy plate remained stable in Northern Europe in the week to August 20 and edged up slightly in Italy, but the market was still in summer mood with muted trading activity, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday.
Southern Europe
In Italy, S235-grade plate was mainly indicated at €690-700 ($802-814) per tonne ex-works, unchanged from the latest deals reported by mills on August 6.
A trade source said the most recent transactions were heard at €690-710 per tonne ex-works for September delivery, with one re-roller expecting prices to rise to around €720 per tonne ex-works after the summer holidays.
Higher plate offers were heard in the market at €730-740 per tonne ex-works for 800-1,000-tonne orders linked to September or early October production, sources said, but no deals were reported at these levels, as many participants were still away.
“No doubt that mills’ sales managers are trying to increase offer prices,” a second trade source said on Thursday, adding that sales managers were gradually coming back to customers with firm order proposals, so it was expected that higher offers would emerge in the market.
However, trading had not yet resumed across the region due to the traditional August slowdown, with expectations for activity to pick up in early September.
A major re-roller in northern Italy was reported to have a technical problem that “will lead to a longer stoppage of the mill,” a third trade source said.
Fastmarkets contacted the producer for official comment but had not received a response by the time of publication. Other sources could not provide comments about the expected wider market impact, but confirmed the news.
The same mill experienced technical issues that led to an unplanned stoppage in late March, with maintenance extended through May-June, a source at the producer said at the time.
Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel domestic plate 8-40mm, exw Southern Europe was €690-710 per tonne on Thursday, widening upward by €10 per tonne from €690-700 per tonne a week earlier.
Plate import offers were heard at €750 per tonne CFR from India to Spain, but no transactions were concluded.
As a result, Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel plate (8-40mm), import, cfr main port Southern Europe, was €710-750 per tonne on Thursday, unchanged week on week.
Northern Europe
Very limited domestic plate activity was heard in Northern Europe, as the market was slow and some sources could not indicate current workable levels.
One supplier indicated prices in Germany at €850 per tonne ex-works, a trade source said, while offers were reported at €850-880 per tonne ex-works, unchanged from a week ago, but for deliveries with longer lead times.
Two of Germany’s three major plate producers were reportedly booked until the end of the year with project-related orders, according to market participants.
However, they were still expected to have capacity available for regular customers, a second trade source said, noting that many buyers commit to fixed quarterly tonnages and therefore expect mills to reserve volumes for them.
The same source said that stockholders were increasing inventories due to improving consumption and were also attempting to raise prices, although trading in commodity-grade plate remained limited.
Therefore, Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel domestic plate 8-40mm, exw Northern Europe was €820-850 per tonne on Thursday, stable week on week.
Plate import offers from India were also reported to Denmark at €750 per tonne CFR but no major activity was heard during the week.
The corresponding Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel plate (8-40mm), import, cfr main port Northern Europe, was €700-750 per tonne on Thursday, unchanged week on week.