Outokumpu, a leading stainless steel manufacturer in Europe based in Finland, expressed support for the European Commission’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) starting in January 2026. This regulation requires carbon-intensive imports to match the carbon costs paid by EU manufacturers.

As a company already under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), Outokumpu aims for a 42% reduction in emission intensity by 2030.

While supporting the proposal, the company advocates for stricter controls to prevent carbon leakage. Key recommendations include applying Melted and Poured rules of origin and expanding the CBAM scope to cover all steel-intensive downstream products by 2027. Outokumpu also urges the Commission to include indirect emissions (Scope 2) and adjust ferro-chromium benchmarks to reward sustainable production.

VP Sustainability Heidi Peltonen believes these safeguards are necessary to maintain fair competition and accelerate global decarbonization while protecting European industrial competitiveness.