The EU Commission has activated a customs surveillance system to monitor the import and export of metal waste and scrap into and out of the EU, covering ferrous waste and scrap (including steel), aluminium and copper.
The Commission adopted the Steel and Metal Action Plan (SMAP) on 19 March to address the significant challenges affecting the competitiveness of the EU’s metals industries. A key pillar of the plan is promoting metal circularity, which not only supports the decarbonisation of metal industries but also aligns with the Commission’s proposal to achieve a 90% reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, compared to 1990.
Currently, the EU is experiencing a decline in metal scrap availability for recycling, also because of “scrap leakage” to third countries. The introduction of a 50% tariff by the United States on a wide range of steel and aluminium products (excluding scrap) may further worsen this issue as rising global prices of primary materials increase the incentive to export scrap abroad.
To ensure sufficient access to scrap for EU’s metals industries, the Commission says it will closely monitor imports and exports of metal scrap to gather more structured and detailed information of what comes in and out of the EU. The Customs surveillance system can provide the Commission with information to take targeted trade measures for ensuring a sufficient supply of scrap and preventing scarcity, thereby strengthening the resilience and sustainability of EU’s metals industries.
To enhance the monitoring of metal scrap and obtain more detailed data, the Commission is also collaborating with industry stakeholders to assess whether and how to further advance the classification of scrap into key categories.
The Commission will use import and export data to assess if any further action is necessary by the end of the 3rd Quarter 2025.
Import and export statistics are available and updated monthly, providing timely and transparent information on trade flows in metal scrap.
The statistics are made available on the Commission’s website.
