UK steelmakers face dumping threat over EU carbon tax timing, business warns

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The UK authorities should synchronise the introduction of a brand new carbon border tax with Brussels or threat inflicting “considerable harm” to the British metal business on account of low-cost imports flooding the nation, the business’s major foyer group has mentioned.

The warning to Sir Keir Starmer’s authorities is a part of rising considerations in regards to the influence of a UK choice to introduce a carbon border tax in 2027 — a full 12 months later than the equal EU tax designed to incentivise low-carbon manufacturing.

Gareth Stace, director-general of UK Metal, mentioned the delay in introducing the tax would result in the dumping of high-emission metal in Britain as producers in Asia and the Center East appeared to keep away from the EU’s “carbon border adjustment mechanism”, or CBAM.

“The UK should bring forward its UK CBAM to 2026 to prevent high-emission steel being diverted from the EU to the UK market,” he mentioned. “I fear that HM Treasury is underestimating how rapidly trade flows can change in the steel market.”

Sarah Jones, power and enterprise minister, informed the Monetary Occasions that the federal government was in search of to “iron out as many bumps as we can” because it examines variations between the EU and UK regimes together with the implementation dates, acknowledging the subject was not simple to deal with. “We want to make it as smooth as possible,” she mentioned.

The UK introduced final December that it was introducing a carbon border tax on a variety of carbon-intensive merchandise together with metal, cement, ceramics and fertiliser from January 1, 2027 following an identical choice from the EU.

The UK tax, which has similarities however not equivalent in scope to the EU model, is designed to create a worldwide level-playing area by taxing imports from international locations that don’t cost polluters to emit carbon.

Based on calculations by UK Metal, below the deliberate regime an EU firm importing metal from a carbon-intensive producer would face prices of roughly €37.50 a tonne, a major quantity for an business with very tight margins and a worldwide overcapacity drawback.

UK Metal has warned that the UK Treasury has underestimated how rapidly low-cost metal might be diverted to the UK in a worldwide market the place fluctuations of as little as €5 a tonne may cause contracts to be renegotiated.

The Labour authorities indicated earlier than taking workplace in July that it was inquisitive about re-linking the EU and the UK carbon-trading schemes as a part of its reset with Europe.

Nonetheless, the business is worried, given the tempo of EU negotiations, that any linkage of carbon buying and selling schemes and subsequent harmonisation of the 2 regimes wouldn’t occur by January 1, 2026 when EU importers should begin gathering CBAM funds.

Individuals accustomed to discussions in Whitehall mentioned there have been vital gaps between the UK Treasury and different impacted departments, together with the Division for Enterprise and Commerce, and the Division for Power Safety and Web Zero.

Inner EU briefing paperwork seen by the FT mentioned that Brussels is “open” to relinking its carbon buying and selling scheme with the UK, however provided that Britain accepted “dynamic alignment” with EU guidelines.

The paperwork added that such a transfer would require a brand new worldwide settlement, which in flip would require EU ratification within the European parliament, suggesting that the method might be fairly prolonged.

Exporters to the EU are already required to submit detailed details about the carbon content material of merchandise together with within the EU CBAM, in preparation for the gathering of taxes from January 1, 2026.

Jones mentioned conversations had been ongoing between authorities departments and with the EU on how finest to make the carbon pricing regimes work. Challenges embody the design of the scheme and vary of industries in scope, in addition to the query of implementation dates within the UK and EU, she mentioned. 

“There are challenges when a previous government has announced a certain date,” she mentioned. “There is obviously a challenge of being able to change it and get all the work done in time.”

Jones mentioned the UK wished to work “really closely” with the EU to make sure the carbon pricing regimes work for enterprise. “With the reset with the EU, that is an opportunity to make sure we are working together to make sure we are delivering the best for our collective industries,” she mentioned. 

The Treasury defended the choice to introduce the brand new regime in 2027. “A CBAM is a novel mechanism, which is why implementation in 2027 will allow the government to consult fully with affected businesses and give them more time to prepare fully for its introduction.”