European imports of cement and clinker rose to a new high before the financial phase of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) began. The shift is linked to intensified competition among Mediterranean suppliers on production emissions, shipping costs and delivered prices. The financial phase started in January 2026.
EU import volumes and Mediterranean supplier shares in 2025
In its 2025 trade review, Cement Europe reported EU imports of cement and clinker at approximately 14.2 million tonnes. Türkiye accounted for 42.9%, followed by Ukraine at 13.3%, Algeria at 11.9%, and Egypt at 11.6%. The review also cited Tunisia at 6.8% and Bosnia and Herzegovina at 2.5%.
The figures refer to cement-and-clinker import volumes for 2025. They are not presented as a verified ranking for the first half of 2026, nor as evidence that market shares changed because of CBAM.
Emissions drivers in cement clinker production
Mediterranean suppliers compete on cost and emissions as they supply the EU market. Türkiye’s position is described as reflecting production capacity, maritime logistics and established relationships with European buyers. North African suppliers are also noted as competing through proximity to Mediterranean terminals, access to resources and shipping economics.
Cement and clinker production includes an emissions challenge tied to clinker output. Clinker manufacturing generates CO₂ through limestone calcination and fuel combustion, with production technology, alternative fuels and the use of clinker substitutes affecting emissions performance. The role of electricity costs and other production factors varies by product type and by the applicable CBAM calculation methodology.
CBAM financial phase requirements for embedded emissions
The CBAM financial phase began in January 2026. Importers are required to account for embedded emissions using applicable default values or verified actual emissions, depending on the rules in force. The calculation also includes benchmark-related adjustments and any eligible deductions for carbon prices paid in the country of production.
The third quarter of 2026 saw a CBAM certificate reference price of €82.32 per tonne of CO₂ equivalent, compared with €75.28 in the second quarter. This change increases the importance for market participants of understanding emissions associated with imported cement and clinker.
Cement versus clinker: different emissions calculations
Importers purchasing clinker for subsequent grinding need to treat it differently from finished cement under CBAM-related requirements. The two products should not be assumed to have identical emissions calculations because their production processes and applicable calculation requirements differ.
This distinction affects how embedded emissions are determined for shipments entering the EU market. It also influences how carbon-related costs may be reflected alongside conventional purchasing factors.
How verified emissions data can affect supplier comparisons
Two suppliers with similar delivered prices may face substantially different carbon-adjusted costs under CBAM calculations. One supplier may offer cheaper clinker while relying on a higher applicable default emissions value, while another may charge more but provide independently verifiable data for the relevant production installation.
The outcome depends on factors such as port handling, freight distance, kiln technology and which emissions data are accepted under the applicable rules. Neither country-of-origin information nor a company-wide sustainability report is sufficient on its own to establish the emissions calculation for a specific shipment.
Inventory changes and limits of market-share attribution
Changes in import volumes require careful interpretation because activity across several industrial sectors accelerated late in 2025 ahead of the CBAM financial phase. At the same time, European construction demand has remained uneven.
A decline in Turkish cement or clinker sales could reflect multiple drivers including unwinding of earlier inventory accumulation, weaker end-market demand or switching between suppliers. Without comparable monthly EU customs data, it is not considered appropriate to attribute changes in market shares directly to CBAM.
Implications for grinding operations and investment decisions
The trade figures for 2025 provide a baseline for understanding the Mediterranean supply landscape but do not show how CBAM redistributed trade during 2026. For European producers relying on imported clinker, maintaining domestic grinding operations can coincide with increased dependence on upstream suppliers’ emissions information.
Investors assessing kilns, grinding facilities or alternative-fuel upgrades are described as needing comparisons between domestic production and imported supplies on a carbon-adjusted delivered-cost basis. Assumptions based on pre-2026 import economics may become less reliable as benchmark-related deductions decline over time.
The competitiveness of supply routes is expected to continue depending on location, production costs and transport economics. At the same time, verifiable installation-level emissions data could become increasingly important as CBAM’s financial implications develop.