Lack of standardisation, certifications and market practises is creating growing uncertainty across green steel markets, with implications for pricing, procurement and credibility.

The European sawn timber market entered Q2 with modest price gains, driven by external cost pressures rather than strong demand. Sluggish construction continues, but seasonal factors and a spruce/pine imbalance are shaping market dynamics.

Here are the key takeaways from market participants on US ferrous scrap metal prices, market confidence, inventory and more from our June survey.

Front-loading cleared roughly €820 million in CBAM liabilities before the definitive phase began. The pattern is unlikely to be a one-off as free allowances step down toward zero in 2034.

The European Commission's draft CBAM carbon price legislation, published May 13, sets out how carbon costs paid abroad will count toward EU import obligations. It also caps Article 6 credit usage at 10% of emissions and applies retrospectively from January 2026.

Europe's green steel ambitions were built on affordable hydrogen that hasn't materialised. Thyssenkrupp and Salzgitter delays, scaled-back supply targets, and a shift to dual-fuel DRI configurations now define the transition.

March reinforced a cautious, largely stable European sawn timber market, with only selective price moves. Rising Nordic log costs, weather and geopolitical uncertainty are tightening margins, while UK inventory overhang and storm-related supply risks could drive volatility into Q3.

Few industrial transformations are as exposed to a single policy signal as green steel — where the EUA price can be the difference between a viable business case and a stranded asset.

The European Commission published the first-quarter 2026 Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) certificate price on Tuesday April 7, applicable to all CBAM-eligible goods imported into the EU in January-March 2026.

Automakers are expected to play a pivotal role in driving early demand for low and near-zero-emissions flat steel in Europe