Steel industry representatives from Türkiye and Europe discussed CBAM implementation, decarbonisation and competitiveness in Istanbul as carbon-related costs become an increasingly important issue for one of the European Union’s major steel-supply relationships.
The meeting was held at Çırağan Palace on 6 September, hosted by ALMAMET, and was reported later in September. Participants included Henrik Adam, then president of EUROFER, Fuat Tosyalı of Tosyalı and Uğur Dalbeler of Çolakoğlu.
The talks addressed the competitive position of steel producers, decarbonisation challenges and the practical implications of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. GMK Center reported on the meeting on 18 September.
Industry priorities differ across the supply relationship
The interests of European producers and Turkish exporters overlap on carbon costs but remain distinct. European steelmakers are seeking comparable carbon constraints for imported steel, while Turkish producers need predictable requirements for demonstrating the emissions associated with their products and maintaining access to European customers.
Industry discussions can address practical questions around emissions data and implementation. The Istanbul meeting, however, did not establish an exemption, create a new bilateral carbon agreement or alter the EU’s existing legal requirements.
For individual Turkish exporters, compliance therefore remains dependent on the specific goods supplied and the evidence available for those products. Sector-level discussions can improve understanding of the requirements but do not replace the documentation needed for individual transactions.
Carbon exposure enters steel contracting
The interaction between CBAM and steel trade is also becoming relevant to commercial negotiations. Buyers and sellers need to account for how an agreed steel price could be affected when emissions data, carbon-cost assumptions or regulatory treatment differ from the conditions anticipated when a transaction was agreed.
For European buyers, the relevant carbon exposure depends on the steel purchased and the supporting emissions information supplied by the producer. For exporters, plant-level preparation remains necessary even where industry associations and companies continue discussions about implementation.
The Istanbul meeting therefore brought together industry interests around the practical challenges created by carbon costs and cross-border steel trade, while leaving regulatory decisions with the relevant public authorities.
