European imports of cement and clinker reached a new high before the financial phase of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) began, intensifying competition among Mediterranean suppliers on production emissions, shipping costs and delivered prices.
According to Cement Europe’s 2025 trade review, EU imports totalled approximately 14.2 million tonnes. Türkiye accounted for 42.9%, followed by Ukraine at 13.3%, Algeria at 11.9%, Egypt at 11.6%, Tunisia at 6.8% and Bosnia and Herzegovina at 2.5%. These figures represent cement-and-clinker import volumes for 2025, not a verified ranking for the first half of 2026 or evidence of market-share changes caused by CBAM.
Mediterranean suppliers compete on cost and emissions
Türkiye’s leading position reflects its production capacity, maritime logistics and established relationships with European buyers. North African suppliers can compete through their proximity to Mediterranean terminals, access to resources and shipping economics.
However, cement and clinker production carry a distinct emissions challenge. Clinker manufacturing generates CO₂ through limestone calcination as well as fuel combustion, making production technology, alternative fuels and the use of clinker substitutes relevant to emissions performance. The significance of electricity costs and other production factors depends on the product manufactured and the applicable CBAM calculation methodology.
As the mechanism enters its financial phase, European buyers must increasingly consider emissions-related costs alongside conventional purchasing factors. A supplier’s geographical proximity may reduce transport expenses, but it does not necessarily guarantee a lower total delivered cost once applicable carbon-related liabilities are included.
Certificate prices add to delivered-cost calculations
The financial phase of CBAM began in January 2026. Importers must account for embedded emissions using applicable default values or verified actual emissions, subject to the relevant rules. The calculation also incorporates applicable benchmark-related adjustments and any eligible deductions for carbon prices paid in the country of production.
The third-quarter 2026 CBAM certificate reference price reached €82.32 per tonne of CO₂ equivalent, up from €75.28 in the second quarter. This increase adds to the importance of understanding the emissions associated with imported cement and clinker.
Importers purchasing clinker for subsequent grinding must also distinguish it from finished cement. The two products should not automatically be assigned identical emissions calculations, as their production processes and applicable calculation requirements differ.
Verified emissions data could change supplier rankings
Two suppliers offering similar delivered prices may have substantially different carbon-adjusted costs. One may offer cheaper clinker but rely on a high applicable default emissions value, while another may charge more but provide credible, independently verifiable data for the relevant production installation.
The final comparison depends on several factors, including port handling, freight distance, kiln technology and the emissions data accepted under the applicable rules. Neither the country of origin nor a company-wide sustainability report is sufficient, on its own, to establish the emissions calculation for a particular shipment.
This creates a potential commercial advantage for producers able to document their production processes and substantiate their emissions figures. However, the extent of that advantage will depend on the applicable methodology, the evidence available and the other costs involved in delivering material to the EU market.
Stockpiling complicates market-share analysis
Changes in import volumes also require careful interpretation. Imports across several industrial sectors accelerated late in 2025 as buyers prepared for the introduction of CBAM’s financial phase, while European construction demand has remained uneven.
A decline in Turkish cement or clinker sales, for example, could reflect the unwinding of earlier inventory accumulation, weaker end-market demand or a switch between suppliers. Without comparable monthly EU customs data, it would be premature to attribute changes in market shares directly to CBAM.
The 2025 trade figures provide a baseline for understanding the Mediterranean supply landscape, but they do not establish how the mechanism has redistributed trade during 2026.
Implications for European cement producers and investors
European cement producers that rely on imported clinker can maintain domestic grinding operations while becoming more dependent on emissions information from upstream suppliers. This creates an additional consideration for businesses assessing supply contracts and investments in grinding terminals.
Investors evaluating kilns, grinding facilities or alternative-fuel upgrades need to compare domestic production with imported supplies on a carbon-adjusted delivered-cost basis. Financial assumptions based on pre-2026 import economics may become less reliable as applicable benchmark-related deductions decline over time.
The Mediterranean cement market will continue to depend on location, production costs and transport economics. However, verifiable installation-level emissions data could become an increasingly important factor in determining which supply routes remain competitive as CBAM’s financial implications develop.
