The European household appliance sector, represented by APPLiA–Home Appliance Europe together with more than 60 associations and companies, has signed a joint statement calling for the extension of the CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) to downstream products in the industrial supply chain. The goal is to avoid competitive imbalances and ensure fairer market conditions throughout the entire value chain.
The CBAM is the European Union’s tool designed to combat carbon leakage by imposing a cost on imports based on the carbon footprint of products. In this way, imported goods are expected to bear an environmental charge similar to that already applied to European producers under the ETS (Emissions Trading System).
However, at present, the mechanism mainly covers raw materials and basic industrial products such as steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, and certain chemical categories. According to sector associations, this approach leaves a significant part of the supply chain uncovered, particularly finished products such as household appliances, which use these materials but are not directly included within the CBAM scope.
This situation, industry players argue, is creating a growing competitive imbalance. European appliance manufacturers must bear costs linked to decarbonisation policies and the energy transition, while imported products can benefit from less burdensome environmental conditions, despite competing in the same market.
The risk highlighted by the industry is that this distortion could spread along the entire value chain, shifting emissions “downstream” rather than actually reducing them, thereby weakening incentives to invest in low-emission production in Europe.
Supporting the European household appliance industry
For this reason, companies are calling for the CBAM to be extended to downstream industries, including finished product categories such as household appliances, adopting an approach that is both simple to administer and effective.
According to the signatories, an expansion of the mechanism would be consistent with the objectives of the European Green Deal and would represent an important step in supporting the competitiveness of the European household appliance industry during the transition toward increasingly sustainable production models.
The household appliance and consumer electronics industry and supply chain will meet at the next edition of Applitech, the only trade fair of its kind in Europe, which will take place from 10 to 12 November 2027 at Bologna Exhibition Center, featuring a rich programme of conferences.