South Africa
South Africa shipped 1.1 Mt of CBAM goods to the EU in 2025 (1 % of all CBAM imports, down 9 % on 2024). Most of the exposure comes from iron and steel. At default values the 2026 CBAM bill would be about €196 m, ranking it 14th of 152 countries.
What it exports
| Sector | Tonnes 2025 | Value | Exposure 2026 | 2034 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron and steel | 862 kt | €601 m | €170 m | €301 m |
| Aluminium | 226 kt | €633 m | €23.0 m | €57.9 m |
| Cement | 47 kt | €2.6 m | €3.5 m | €7.1 m |
| Fertilisers | 430 t | €700 k | €43 k | €67 k |
Products with the largest exposure
Default value (2026, incl. mark-up) and CBAM benchmark in tCO₂e per tonne. For 6 % of the tonnage no country-specific default is published, so the higher “other countries and territories” value applies.
| CN code | Product | Tonnes | Default | Benchmark | Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7201 10 90 | Non-alloy pig iron in pigs, blocks or other primary forms, containing by weight ≤ 0,5 % … | 180 kt | 3.817 | 1.210 | €39.1 m |
| 7201 10 11 | Non-alloy pig iron in pigs, blocks or other primary forms, containing by weight ≤ 0,5 % … | 140 kt | 3.817 | 1.210 | €30.4 m |
| 7202 41 90 | Ferro-chromium, containing by weight > 6 % carbon | 202 kt | 2.585 | 1.142 | €24.5 m |
| 7601 10 90 | Aluminium, not alloyed, unwrought (excl. slabs) | 194 kt | 2.594 | 1.423 | €19.3 m |
| 7201 10 19 | Non-alloy pig iron in pigs, blocks or other primary forms, containing by weight ≤ 0,5 % … | 82 kt | 3.817 | 1.210 | €17.8 m |
| 7210 49 00 | Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width of ≥ 600 mm, hot-rolled or c… | 49 kt | 4.642 | 1.491 | €12.9 m |
| 7213 91 49 | Bars and rods, hot-rolled, of iron or non-alloy steel, in irregularly wound coils, conta… | 35 kt | 4.433 | 1.364 | €8.8 m |
| 7202 19 00 | Ferro-manganese, containing by weight ≤ 2 % carbon other countries | 20 kt | 6.149 | 1.361 | €7.9 m |
| 7202 41 10 | Ferro-chromium, containing by weight > 4 % but ≤ 6 % carbon | 63 kt | 2.585 | 1.142 | €7.7 m |
| 2523 10 00 | Cement clinkers other countries | 47 kt | 1.551 | 0.666 | €3.5 m |
| 7219 33 90 | Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of ≥ 600 mm, not further worked than… | 13 kt | 4.279 | 1.270 | €3.3 m |
| 7219 34 90 | Flat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of ≥ 600 mm, not further worked than… | 13 kt | 4.279 | 1.270 | €3.2 m |
Outlook
Same 2025 volumes, same certificate price (€82.32), default values throughout.
Carbon pricing in South Africa
South Africa has levied a carbon tax since 2019, but with large tax-free allowances for industry, so the effective rate per tonne is far below the EU price.
Where it sits on the map
Read more
Nearby in the ranking: Algeria, United States, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates.
Sources: Eurostat Comext (DS-045409), annual 2025; Implementing Regulations (EU) 2025/2621 and 2025/2620. See methodology.