CBAM cost per tonne of aluminium, 2026 to 2034
Using EU default values and a certificate price of €82.32, CBAM adds about €47.82 per tonne of aluminium imported from India in 2026 for unwrought aluminium (CN 7601), rising to €135.93 in 2030 and €200.12 in 2034 as free allocation ends.
Cost per tonne by year (€)
| Route | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 | 2033 | 2034 |
|---|
| Unwrought aluminium (CN 7601) (1.87 tCO2/t default) | 48 | 66 | 88 | 104 | 136 | 152 | 167 | 183 | 200 |
| Wire (CN 7605) (2.59 tCO2/t default) | 113 | 137 | 165 | 181 | 213 | 229 | 244 | 260 | 277 |
| Bars, rods and profiles (CN 7604) (3.41 tCO2/t default) | 187 | 218 | 253 | 268 | 301 | 316 | 332 | 347 | 365 |
| Plates, sheets and strip (CN 7606) (4.13 tCO2/t default) | 252 | 290 | 330 | 345 | 378 | 393 | 409 | 425 | 442 |
Assumptions: EU default values with the default-value mark-up, certificate price held at €82.32 (Q3 2026), origin India with no carbon price paid at origin. Estimates, not a CBAM declaration.
Covered CN codes
- 7601: Unwrought aluminium
- 7603: Aluminium powders & flakes
- 7604: Aluminium bars, rods, profiles
- 7605: Aluminium wire
- 7606: Aluminium plates & sheets
- 7607: Aluminium foil
Questions
What is the CBAM cost per tonne of aluminium in 2026?
About €47.82 per tonne at default values for unwrought aluminium (CN 7601) (1.87 tCO2 per tonne plus the default-value mark-up), with 98% of the EU benchmark still allocated free.
Does the product form change the CBAM cost of aluminium?
Yes. EU default values rise with each stage of working, so by 2034 the default-value cost ranges from €200.12 per tonne for unwrought aluminium (CN 7601) to €441.98 per tonne for the most worked product listed. Only direct emissions count for aluminium, and defaults do not distinguish recycled from primary metal: recycled content lowers the charge only through verified actual emissions.
How can an exporter lower this cost?
Replace default values with verified actual emissions from the installation: CBAM charges on the embedded emissions declared, and for this sector default values carry a 30% mark-up from 2028.
CBAM calculator · All sectors