Welcome to the very first FACTA newsletter!

We're delighted to share this with you and hope it becomes a valuable source of information, updates, and practical guidance.

As this is our first edition, we'd really appreciate your feedback. We'd love to know what you found useful, what you'd like to see more of, and any suggestions you have for future newsletters. Your input will help us shape future editions to ensure they provide the information and support that is most valuable to you!

Could tougher steel tariffs have unintended consequences for construction?

Following industry concerns over rising costs and project risks, the Government has agreed to review the potential impact of its proposed crackdown.

Read more here - Government blinks on steel tariffs after contractor backlash | Construction Enquirer News

HAVE YOUR SAY! - A petition has been launched calling for an urgent review and adjustment of these measures. We encourage you to review the information and act as you see fit.

Petition link: Urgently review & adjust steel import quota & tariff changes - effective 01/07 - Petitions

Your support and engagement on this matter are appreciated.

Find our latest Position Paper regarding Steel Tariffs here https://lnkd.in/e8w2HJRs

The introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is beginning to reshape the way steel is traded into Europe, with direct implications for UK manufacturers and fabricators supplying into EU markets.

From 1 January 2026, the European Union has moved into the operational phase of CBAM, applying carbon costs to imported materials including steel. In simple terms, CBAM is designed to ensure that imported products carry a carbon price equivalent to those produced within the EU, where manufacturers are already subject to emissions trading schemes. 

While the UK has confirmed it will introduce its own CBAM, this is not expected to take effect until January 2027. This creates a transitional period in which UK exports into the EU are already subject to CBAM requirements, while imports into the UK are not yet governed by the same rules. 

For UK businesses exporting steel-based products, this is now a live issue. Goods entering the EU require the calculation and reporting of embedded carbon emissions, and in many cases a carbon cost will be applied at the point of import. This introduces both an administrative burden and an additional cost layer, which industry sources confirm is now a contributing factor in rising steel costs and increased complexity across supply chains. 

CBAM is therefore not a future consideration it is already influencing procurement decisions, pricing behaviour and trade flows across the European steel market. Alongside wider trade measures and supply constraints, it is becoming a key structural driver behind increasing costs and a more regulated marketplace.

For FACTA members supplying into the EU, one of the most important practical considerations is understanding who is responsible for CBAM compliance, which depends largely on the agreed Incoterms.

Where goods are sold under DAP (Delivered at Place) terms, the UK exporter delivers the goods to a named destination in the EU, but the EU customer (the importer) is responsible for import clearance. This means the EU-based buyer will act as the CBAM declarant, taking on responsibility for reporting emissions data and managing any associated carbon costs.

By contrast, under DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) terms, the UK exporter takes responsibility for delivering the goods fully cleared for import into the EU. In this case, the UK supplier effectively becomes the importer of record and therefore assumes the obligations of the CBAM declarant. This includes responsibility for emissions reporting, record keeping and compliance with EU requirements.

Under the EU regime, CBAM applies to imports of carbon intensive goods such as steel products, the EU has introduced a 50 tonne annual threshold under CBAM. Importers bringing in (or expected to bring in 50 tonnes or more)  of steel or other covered goods must register as an authorised CBAM declarant and comply fully with reporting and carbon cost requirements. Below this level, imports are exempt, but once the threshold is exceeded the full year’s imports fall within scope.

CBAM declarants are required to submit periodic reports covering the embedded emissions of those products. 

In practical terms, this means:

• Under DAP ? the EU customer manages CBAM
• Under DDP ? the UK exporter takes on CBAM responsibility

For exporters, this distinction is critical. Moving from DAP to DDP terms may appear commercially attractive but can introduce significant additional compliance obligations, particularly where robust emissions data is not readily available from the supply chain.

The introduction of CBAM also raises broader market considerations. With the EU applying carbon costs at the border and the UK yet to introduce its own scheme, there is potential for temporary market imbalance, including the diversion of certain steel products into the UK where equivalent carbon costs are not yet in place.

For the fabricated access cover sector and wider construction supply chain, the direction of travel is clear. Steel pricing is increasingly being influenced by government policy, environmental regulation and trade mechanisms rather than purely by demand and raw material inputs. CBAM is now a central part of that shift, contributing to increased costs, greater administrative requirements and more complex cross border transactions.

As the UK moves towards its own CBAM implementation in 2027, further alignment with EU rules is expected. However, in the interim, businesses exporting to Europe will need to navigate a more complex trading environment and ensure they clearly understand their commercial terms, compliance responsibilities and exposure to carbon-related costs.

CBAM is therefore not just a regulatory change, it is a fundamental shift in how steel-based products are priced, traded and managed across international markets.

Carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM): Policy Summary - GOV.UK

CBAM Registry and Reporting - Taxation and Customs Union

Written by Wayne Carter
FACTA Member - Fabweld Steel Products

We are delighted to welcome Advanced Infrastructure as the newest member of the Fabricated Access Covers Trade Association (FACTA).

Advanced Infrastructure brings a strong reputation for quality and innovation in access cover design and manufacturing, values that align perfectly with FACTA’s mission to raise standards, promote compliance, and ensure best practice across the industry.

It’s great to see our membership continue to grow with companies committed to doing things the right way.

https://advancedinfrastructure.com

FACTA member, Clark-Drain is proud to announce an important milestone in its journey as a family business. Yesterday, leadership of the company’s day-to-day operations passed from Ron Clark and Pam Spencer to the next generation, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the business’s history.

Click here to read the full article.

Associate FACTA member, Geveko Markings UK, in partnership with another FACTA member, EJCO, installed an anti-slip surface treatment to a prestigious access cover project in Greenwich, London.

The steel covers were treated with Geveko’s PREMARK™ Anti-Skid, a preformed thermoplastic product that is applied directly to the surface via a 2-component primer system.  The products increase slip resistance, making surfaces safer during inclemental weather.  

The product is highly durable and has been developed for both pedestrian and vehicular routes and is available in a range of traffic approved colours.  The product can improve slip-resistance on steel, ductile iron, concrete and asphalt surfaces.

www.geveko-markings.co.uk
www.ejco.com