European imports of cement and clinker reached a new high before the financial phase of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) began, increasing competition among Mediterranean suppliers. Buyers are weighing production emissions, shipping costs and delivered prices as the policy moves into its payment stage. The shift is reflected in trade flows recorded before January 2026.
In its 2025 trade review, Cement Europe reported EU import volumes of 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%. Tunisia represented 6.8% and Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.5%.
The reported figures cover cement-and-clinker import volumes for 2025. They are not presented as a verified ranking for the first half of 2026, and they do not provide evidence of market-share changes caused by CBAM. The data is used as a baseline for the Mediterranean supply landscape.
Mediterranean supply positions and cost drivers
Türkiye’s leading share is linked to production capacity, maritime logistics and established relationships with European buyers. For North African suppliers, competitiveness can be supported by proximity to Mediterranean terminals, access to resources and shipping economics. These factors influence delivered pricing into EU markets.
Cement and clinker production also involves emissions-related constraints that affect CBAM cost calculations. Clinker manufacturing generates CO₂ from limestone calcination as well as fuel combustion. Production technology, alternative fuels and the use of clinker substitutes therefore relate to emissions performance.
The role of electricity costs and other production inputs varies by product type and by the applicable CBAM calculation methodology. As CBAM enters its financial phase, European buyers are expected to consider emissions-related costs alongside conventional purchasing factors. Geographic proximity may reduce transport expenses but does not necessarily lower total delivered cost once carbon-related liabilities apply.
CBAM certificate pricing and product-specific emissions calculations
The financial phase of CBAM started in January 2026. Importers must account for embedded emissions using applicable default values or verified actual emissions under the relevant rules. The calculation also includes benchmark-related adjustments and any eligible deductions for carbon prices paid in the country of production.
The third-quarter 2026 CBAM certificate reference price reached €82.32 per tonne of CO₂ equivalent, compared with €75.28 in the second quarter. This change increases the importance of understanding the emissions associated with imported cement and clinker for cost calculations.
Importers purchasing clinker for subsequent grinding must distinguish it from finished cement in their accounting approach. The two products should not be assumed to have identical emissions calculations because their production processes and applicable calculation requirements differ.
Verified emissions evidence and implications for supplier comparisons
Two suppliers offering similar delivered prices may still face different carbon-adjusted costs under CBAM rules. One supplier may quote lower clinker prices while relying on higher applicable default emissions values. Another may charge more but provide independently verifiable emissions data for the relevant production installation.
The comparison depends on factors including 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.
This can create a commercial advantage for producers that document production processes and substantiate installation-level emissions figures. The extent of that advantage depends on the applicable methodology, available evidence and other costs involved in delivering material to the EU market.
Import volume shifts, inventory effects and market-share interpretation
Changes in import volumes require careful interpretation because multiple drivers can affect purchasing decisions. Imports across several industrial sectors accelerated late in 2025 as buyers prepared for CBAM’s financial phase, while European construction demand remained uneven during the same period.
A decline in Turkish cement or clinker sales could reflect different outcomes such as unwinding earlier inventory accumulation, weaker end-market demand or switching between suppliers. Without comparable monthly EU customs data, it would be premature to attribute changes in market shares directly to CBAM.
The 2025 trade figures provide a baseline for understanding Mediterranean supply patterns but do not show how CBAM redistributed trade during 2026. The source data therefore does not establish whether supplier positions changed as the mechanism moved into its payment stage.
Effects on European grinding operations and investment assessments
European cement producers relying on imported clinker can keep domestic grinding operations while becoming more dependent on upstream suppliers’ emissions information. For businesses assessing supply contracts and investments in grinding terminals, this adds an additional consideration beyond conventional procurement terms.
Investors evaluating kilns, grinding facilities or alternative-fuel upgrades need to compare domestic production with imported supplies using a carbon-adjusted delivered-cost basis. Financial assumptions based on pre-2026 import economics may become less reliable as benchmark-related deductions decline over time.
The Mediterranean cement market remains influenced by location, production costs and transport economics as CBAM develops further. Verifiable installation-level emissions data is expected to become increasingly important in determining which supply routes remain competitive under the mechanism’s financial implications.