How is stainless steel emissions intensity different from carbon steel?

Higher per tonne but with different production routes. Stainless is dominated by EAF (with chromium, nickel additions) -- typical direct emissions are 1.5-2.5 t CO2/t. The chromium / nickel inputs themselves carry significant embedded emissions.

Are nickel and chromium inputs in CBAM scope?

No. The CBAM Annex I covers iron / steel products including stainless. Upstream nickel and chromium production is not in scope. The emissions factor for stainless is published in the EU defaults.

Does the AISI grade matter for CBAM?

Marginally. Higher-alloy stainless (e.g. 316 vs. 304) has slightly higher embedded emissions due to higher nickel content -- but the EU default is grade-agnostic.

Who are the largest exporters of CN 7219?

China (~290kt/yr), Taiwan, South Korea and India. China's share has grown as Russian / Belarusian flows are zeroed.

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CN 7219

Name: CN 7219 -- Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, hot-rolled or
Brand: AutoCBAM
SKU: 7219

Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, hot-rolled or cold-rolled "cold-reduced"

✓ In scope of CBAM Iron and steel

CBAM cost preview

Live ETS price: €78.73/t CO₂. Sample: 1 tonne of CN 7219 at default factors costs ~€16.97 in CBAM certificates today.

Direct emissions: 1.88 t CO₂/t
Indirect emissions: 0.275 t CO₂/t
CBAM cost (1000 t shipment): €16,966

How is this calculated?

CBAM certificate cost = embedded emissions × ETS price × (1 − free-allocation factor) × phase-in markup.

Phase-in 2026: 10% of full certificate cost. Free allocation assumed 0% in this preview.

Calculate my CBAM cost →

Top exporters into the EU

Eurostat Comext, latest available year. Volumes shown are extra-EU imports (tonnes).

Origin	Tonnes / yr	Share
China	290,000	34%
Taiwan	220,000	26%
South Korea	180,000	21%
India	160,000	19%

Source: Eurostat Comext annual extra-EU trade.

How to comply for this code

Reviewed by AutoCBAM team — last updated 2026-04-28.

Methodology guide -- CN 7219 (stainless steel flat-rolled, ≥600mm wide)

Stainless flat is a high-value CBAM steel category dominated by China, Taiwan, South Korea and India. Per-tonne CBAM cost is higher than carbon steel due to the alloy content's embedded emissions.

Step 1 -- understand the production route. Stainless is EAF-dominated globally -- but the EAF here is a stainless-specific furnace fed with carbon steel + ferrochrome + ferronickel. Total direct emissions are 1.5-2.5 t CO2/t, slightly above the EU iron-steel default.

Step 2 -- watch for upstream alloy emissions. The chromium and nickel inputs carry embedded emissions of their own (ferrochrome ~3-4 t CO2/t Cr; ferronickel ~10-15 t CO2/t Ni). These are not separately declared under CBAM but are reflected in the supplier's scope 1 + 2 numbers when alloy production is on-site.

Step 3 -- request verified data; defaults under-state. The EU 1.88 t/t default is calibrated to carbon steel and is too low for stainless. Verified supplier data is more accurate -- and the verifier report should disclose the alloy mix and the upstream alloy emissions separately.

Step 4 -- handle Taiwan and South Korea favourably. Taiwanese stainless mills (Yieh United Steel, Walsin Lihwa) are EAF route; emissions sit at 1.5-1.8 t/t direct. Korean POSCO stainless is similar. Both jurisdictions have or are developing carbon pricing, opening Article 9 deductions over time.

Frequently asked questions

How is stainless steel emissions intensity different from carbon steel?: Higher per tonne but with different production routes. Stainless is dominated by EAF (with chromium, nickel additions) -- typical direct emissions are 1.5-2.5 t CO2/t. The chromium / nickel inputs themselves carry significant embedded emissions.
Are nickel and chromium inputs in CBAM scope?: No. The CBAM Annex I covers iron / steel products including stainless. Upstream nickel and chromium production is not in scope. The emissions factor for stainless is published in the EU defaults.
Does the AISI grade matter for CBAM?: Marginally. Higher-alloy stainless (e.g. 316 vs. 304) has slightly higher embedded emissions due to higher nickel content -- but the EU default is grade-agnostic.
Who are the largest exporters of CN 7219?: China (~290kt/yr), Taiwan, South Korea and India. China's share has grown as Russian / Belarusian flows are zeroed.

Get an emissions cost report for this product

Free PDF with sector defaults, top-3 origin countries and an ETS-linked cost forecast for CN 7219.

Related codes

Parent heading: 7219

CN 72191100 — Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, not further worked than
CN 721912 — Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of>= 600 mm, not further worked than h
CN 721913 — Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, not further worked than
CN 721914 — Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, not further worked than
CN 721921 — Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, not further worked than
CN 721922 — Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, not further worked than
CN 72192300 — Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, not further worked than
CN 72192400 — Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, not further worked than
CN 72193100 — Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, not further worked than
CN 721932 — Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of >= 600 mm, not further worked than

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Reference data only — confirmed CBAM scope ultimately depends on TARIC declaration and the latest amendments to CBAM Annex I.