Avoid the EU Carbon Tax: CBAM - Free Steel Profiles

As the European Union transitions into the definitive phase of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in 2026, the cost of importing steel into the EU is rising. For procurement managers in the metal industry, the “Swiss Advantage” has become a vital financial strategy. At Montanstahl, we offer our customers a unique benefit: our stainless steel profiles and special shapes in steel manufactured in Stabio, Switzerland, are 100% exempt from CBAM certificate costs.

Why is Switzerland Exempt from CBAM?

The EU’s CBAM is designed to prevent “carbon leakage” by taxing carbon-intensive imports. However, because Switzerland’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) is fully linked with the EU’s, Swiss-manufactured goods are treated as domestic EU products regarding carbon pricing. When you source structural stainless steel sections, laser welded special profiles and hot rolled special shapes from our Stabio facility, you are buying products that have already met the world’s most stringent environmental standards, without the extra border tax.

Strategic Benefits of Sourcing from Montanstahl in Stabio

By choosing a Swiss steel manufacturer, your company gains more than just precision engineering:

Zero Financial Surcharge: No need to buy CBAM certificates.
Reduced Bureaucracy: Bypass the complex reporting of embedded emissions and third-party verifications required for non-exempt imports.
Price Stability: CBAM certificate prices track the EU ETS carbon price, which fluctuates. Avoid being exposed to this financial volatility.
Sustainability: Our steel profiles are produced using 100% sustainable energy.

2026 Cost Comparison: Swiss Steel vs. Non-EU Imports

Using the EU’s 2026 default values, here is how sourcing 100 tonnes of stainless steel beams from Montanstahl compares to an import from country subject to CBAM:

Cost Factor	Non-Exempt Import (CBAM)	Montanstahl (Switzerland)
Product Quantity	100 Metric Tonnes	100 Metric Tonnes
Carbon Intensity (Default)	~3.5 t CO2 / tonne	Exempt from CBAM
CBAM Certificate Price	Assumed ~€70 per t CO2 based on recent EU ETS averages	€0
Carbon Surcharge	€24,500	€0
Compliance Admin Costs	Significant (Reporting/Audit)	No CBAM-related reporting

Note: this is an illustrative example based on EU CBAM transitional default values and average stainless steel emission benchmarks.

Future-Proof Your Supply Chain

As EU “free allowances” for domestic producers phase out, the cost of steel within Europe will inevitably rise. Montanstahl provides a “safe harbor” of stability. Our laser-welding technology and hot-rolling capabilities in Stabio ensure you receive high-quality products with no hidden cost.

Don’t let carbon taxes erode your margins. Contact us today for a quote on custom steel profiles or stainless-steel structural profiles:

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FAQ’s

What exactly does CBAM mean for companies that import steel into the EU?

Starting in 2026, any business importing steel from countries outside the EU’s carbon pricing framework will need to purchase CBAM certificates to cover the embedded emissions of those goods. In practice, this adds a variable and potentially significant line item to your procurement costs, one that moves with the EU carbon market and cannot be easily hedged or predicted in advance.

Does sourcing from Switzerland genuinely eliminate CBAM costs, or are there exceptions?

For products manufactured in Switzerland, the exemption is complete and structural, not a temporary arrangement or a matter of paperwork. Because the Swiss and EU emissions trading systems are formally linked at a treaty level, Swiss-made goods are treated as carbon-equivalent to EU-produced goods. There is no threshold, no partial exemption, and no certificate purchasing involved. As long as the product is manufactured in Switzerland, the CBAM surcharge simply does not apply.

How should procurement managers factor CBAM into their total cost of ownership calculations?

CBAM certificates are priced against the EU ETS carbon market, which has historically shown significant volatility. This means the true cost of a non-exempt import cannot be locked in at the time of order, it depends on where the carbon price stands at the point of import. When building a total cost of ownership model, it is worth treating CBAM as a floating variable rather than a fixed cost, and comparing that against a Swiss-sourced alternative where the carbon surcharge is a known constant: zero.

Beyond cost savings, does sourcing from Switzerland involve any additional compliance burden?

Quite the opposite. Importing from CBAM-liable countries requires declarants to report embedded emissions, obtain third-party verification, and manage certificate surrender on an annual basis. These are not trivial administrative tasks, they require internal resources or external consultants, and carry regulatory risk if handled incorrectly. Sourcing from a CBAM-exempt country removes this compliance layer entirely from your supply chain operations.

As EU carbon policy evolves, is the Swiss exemption likely to remain stable?

The Switzerland–EU ETS linkage is established by a bilateral agreement that has been in place since 2020 and forms part of a broader framework of environmental cooperation. While no policy is entirely immune to future change, this linkage is structurally embedded rather than politically discretionary, making it a considerably more reliable long-term assumption than, for example, tariff arrangements, which can shift with trade negotiations. For supply chain planning purposes, Switzerland represents one of the most predictable carbon-cost environments available to EU importers.

Why is Switzerland Exempt from CBAM?

Strategic Benefits of Sourcing from Montanstahl in Stabio

2026 Cost Comparison: Swiss Steel vs. Non-EU Imports

Future-Proof Your Supply Chain

FAQ’s

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