What are the UK CBAM default values for steel wire?
Fine low-carbon steel wire under 0.8 mm has a UK CBAM default of 3.329 tCO2e per tonne uncoated (7217 10 10) and 4.440 zinc coated (7217 20 10). Uncoated wire with 0.25% to under 0.6% carbon (7217 10 50) is 2.149, and wire with 0.6% carbon or more (7217 10 90) 3.116.
Uncoated wire, heading 7217 10
- 7217 10 10: under 0.25% carbon, under 0.8 mm: 3.329 tCO2e per tonne.
- 7217 10 31: under 0.25% carbon, 0.8 mm or more, ribbed or indented: 3.396.
- 7217 10 39: under 0.25% carbon, 0.8 mm or more, plain: 2.941.
- 7217 10 50: 0.25% to under 0.6% carbon: 2.149.
- 7217 10 90: 0.6% carbon or more: 3.116.
Coated wire
- 7217 20 10: zinc coated, under 0.25% carbon, under 0.8 mm: 4.440.
- 7217 20 50: zinc coated, 0.25% to under 0.6% carbon: 4.135.
- 7217 20 90: zinc coated, 0.6% carbon or more: 3.088.
- 7217 30 41: copper coated, under 0.25% carbon: 2.147.
Carbon content decides more than thickness
Medium-carbon uncoated wire carries a lower default than fine mild steel wire. Take carbon from the wire rod mill's certificate for each heat and match each lot to its code.
Wire rod is the precursor
Most of an actual figure comes from the rod you draw. Which on-site fuel counts, such as annealing or zinc bath furnaces, follows HMRC's system boundaries; grid power for the drawing machines is not part of the charge, which is based on direct emissions.
One month's UK dispatches from a wire unit
- 80 t uncoated spring wire, 0.7% carbon, 7217 10 90: 80 x 3.116 = 249.280 tCO2e.
- 20 t zinc coated mild steel wire, 0.5 mm, 7217 20 10: 20 x 4.440 = 88.800 tCO2e.
- Total on defaults: 338.080 tCO2e.
What Senseible does here
Senseible reads wire rod invoices, annealing fuel and zinc bath fuel bills with dispatch tonnes by grade, so each wire line can be set against its default. We build the figure from your records and check every figure in-house; for the UK it must then be verified by a verifier accredited for UK CBAM. Have your own verifier? Send it to them.
Sources: HMRC, UK CBAM iron and steel default values (published 16 October 2026), HM Treasury and HMRC, UK CBAM policy summary
Last reviewed 2026-11-03.