What is CN 7208 at the heading level?

CN 7208 covers all flat-rolled products of iron / non-alloy steel, ≥600mm wide, hot-rolled, not clad. The 8-digit sub-codes (72081000, 72082500, 72083600, etc.) refine by thickness, pickling status, and coil/sheet form.

Should I declare at the 4-digit or 8-digit level?

Customs declarations require the full 8-digit code. The 4-digit page is for SEO and cross-reference -- always use the 8-digit code in your CBAM declaration to match the country defaults.

Do scrap-based mills change my CBAM bill for CN 7208?

Not at the 7208 heading -- the EU default applies. But verified data from a 100% EAF-scrap mill can drop your effective emissions to ~0.4 t CO2/t direct, an 80% reduction vs. the default.

Are CN 7208 imports from Türkiye covered by any free-trade preference?

The EU-Türkiye Customs Union covers CN 7208 for tariff purposes, but CBAM is independent of free-trade agreements -- Turkish steel imports owe full CBAM regardless of preferential origin.

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CN 7208

Name: CN 7208 -- Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width >= 600 mm, hot-rolle
Brand: AutoCBAM
SKU: 7208

Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width >= 600 mm, hot-rolled, not clad, plated or coated

✓ In scope of CBAM Iron and steel

CBAM cost preview

Live ETS price: €78.73/t CO₂. Sample: 1 tonne of CN 7208 at default factors costs ~€35.86 in CBAM certificates today.

Direct emissions: 4.28 t CO₂/t
Indirect emissions: 0.275 t CO₂/t
CBAM cost (1000 t shipment): €35,862

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 →

Default embedded emissions

When you cannot collect verified supplier data, the EU lets you use these default values for the Iron and steel sector.

Origin	Direct emissions	Indirect emissions	Total
India	4.28	—	4.28
China	3.186892655	—	3.186892655
Türkiye	2.427511737	—	2.427511737
Taiwan	2.309552764	—	2.309552764
South Korea	2.11847619	—	2.11847619

t CO₂e per tonne of product. Source: EU Implementing Reg. 2025/2621 Annex IV.

Top exporters into the EU

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

Origin	Tonnes / yr	Share
Türkiye	2,410,000	36%
China	2,280,000	34%
India	1,110,000	17%
South Korea	580,000	9%
Taiwan	320,000	5%

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 7208 (flat-rolled hot-rolled steel, ≥600mm wide)

CN 7208 is the largest single CBAM steel heading by volume. Most importers will declare under the 8-digit sub-codes (72081000, 72082500, 72083600, etc.); this page exists as the parent reference.

Step 1 -- always declare at the 8-digit level. The country-default emissions table in Reg. 2025/2621 is keyed on 8-digit codes. Declaring at 7208 (4-digit) gives you the sector default (1.88 t/t direct), which is usually less favourable than the country-specific 8-digit number.

Step 2 -- understand what is NOT in 7208. Cold-rolled product is in 7209. Coated product (galvanised, painted) is in 7210. Narrow strip (<600mm) is in 7211/7212. Stainless flat is in 7219/7220. CBAM applies to all of these but the production-route mix and emissions intensity differ.

Step 3 -- request supplier verified data. Like CN 72081000, this heading is BF-BOF dominated globally. Verified data from an EAF source can save 70% of your CBAM bill -- ask first whether the mill is BF-BOF, BOF-EAF or pure EAF / DRI-EAF.

Step 4 -- model multi-year exposure. Steel prices and CBAM phase-in interact: a 100,000-tonne annual import bill at €0.85/tonne CBAM cost in 2026 grows to €8.50/tonne by 2034 (from 10% to 100% phase-in) before factoring in ETS price drift. Lock in low-carbon supply now or budget for the bill.

Step 5 -- comply with quarterly tracking from 2026. Reg. 2025/2083 requires importers to hold 50% of projected CBAM certificates by end of each quarter, surrendering the remainder by 31 May of the following year. AutoCBAM Pro automates this; the free calculator provides the projection.

Frequently asked questions

What is CN 7208 at the heading level?: CN 7208 covers all flat-rolled products of iron / non-alloy steel, ≥600mm wide, hot-rolled, not clad. The 8-digit sub-codes (72081000, 72082500, 72083600, etc.) refine by thickness, pickling status, and coil/sheet form.
Should I declare at the 4-digit or 8-digit level?: Customs declarations require the full 8-digit code. The 4-digit page is for SEO and cross-reference -- always use the 8-digit code in your CBAM declaration to match the country defaults.
Do scrap-based mills change my CBAM bill for CN 7208?: Not at the 7208 heading -- the EU default applies. But verified data from a 100% EAF-scrap mill can drop your effective emissions to ~0.4 t CO2/t direct, an 80% reduction vs. the default.
Are CN 7208 imports from Türkiye covered by any free-trade preference?: The EU-Türkiye Customs Union covers CN 7208 for tariff purposes, but CBAM is independent of free-trade agreements -- Turkish steel imports owe full CBAM regardless of preferential origin.

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 7208.

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