CBAM covers aluminium products under CN codes 7601, 7603 to 7614 and 7616 of Annex I, Regulation (EU) 2023/956: unwrought metal, powders, bars, profiles, wire, plates and sheets, foil, tubes, structures such as doors and towers, tanks, casks and cans, gas containers, stranded cables and other articles. Importers whose CBAM goods stay at or below 50 tonnes net mass in a calendar year are exempt (all CBAM goods counted together); only direct emissions are priced.
Aluminium goods in scope: CN 7601, 7603 to 7614 and 7616
CBAM covers aluminium through the CN code list in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/956, which covers headings 7601, 7603 to 7614 and 7616. Aluminium scrap (7602) and household articles (7615) are not listed. Aluminium is one of six covered product groups alongside iron and steel, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen and electricity. The span is deliberately wide: it begins at unwrought metal leaving the smelter and extends through semi-finished forms to finished articles such as window frames, cans and cables. Reservoirs and tanks, compressed-gas containers and tube and pipe fittings also fall inside the range. Since 1 January 2026 the definitive regime applies. Authorised CBAM declarants surrender certificates for the embedded emissions of aluminium imports above the 50 tonne threshold. The first declaration is due on 30 September 2027.
Product families and representative CN codes
Each aluminium product family maps to a representative CN heading in Annex I.
| Product family | Representative CN |
|---|---|
| Unwrought aluminium | 7601 |
| Powders and flakes | 7603 |
| Bars, rods and profiles (including hollow profiles) | 7604 |
| Wire | 7605 |
| Plates, sheets and strip | 7606 |
| Foil | 7607 |
| Tubes and pipes | 7608 |
| Structures: doors, windows, frames, bridges, towers | 7610 |
| Casks, drums and cans | 7612 |
| Stranded wire and cables | 7614 |
| Nails, cloth, netting and other articles | 7616 |
Source: Annex I, Regulation (EU) 2023/956.
Rules that shape the aluminium scope
Three rules decide how the list applies in practice.
- A de-minimis threshold exempts importers whose covered imports stay at or below 50 tonnes net mass in a calendar year, all CBAM goods counted together.
- Aluminium is an Annex II good, so only direct embedded emissions are priced; indirect, electricity related emissions stay outside the current scope, and the grid mix behind a smelter does not add to the certificate obligation.
- Production route drives the number: primary metal smelted from ore carries far more embedded carbon than recycled, scrap-based metal.
Where verified installation data is missing, country-specific default values apply; the India set is detailed in CBAM default values for Indian aluminium. The sector overview shows where aluminium sits among the six covered groups, and the CBAM guide walks the compliance timeline step by step. Exporters preparing installation data can engage GreenSutra’s CBAM consulting service; verification itself always rests with an accredited verifier.
Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/956 · European Commission CBAM page