The Commission acknowledges that the demand for scrap in Europe is lower than the current supply, yet it proposes commercial measures to keep surplus scrap within EU borders. ASSOFERMET stated that there are already strict regulations in the Waste Transport Regulation published in April 2024, and no concrete steps have been outlined to increase the use of recycled steel. The association emphasized that most of the scrap within the EU is already in use, with the remaining portion left idle due to a lack of buyers in the domestic market.
ASSOFERMET highlighted that over 100 million tons of recycled steel are produced annually, with 80% of it being used in the EU domestic market, while the remaining 20% remains unused as a resource. Furthermore, the association argued that scrap exports are a crucial part of the EU's circular economy, calling the Commission's term "scrap leakage" misleading.
The association stated that the EU steel industry is struggling to achieve sustainability in the domestic market and that the export of surplus scrap provides a solution to manage the excessive scrap amounts arising from a structural crisis. Furthermore, they warned that such restrictive measures could lead to the collapse of the recycling industry, job losses, and environmental negative impacts.
ASSOFERMET called on the European Commission to revise the plan and integrate it with concrete measures that support the entire supply chain. The association emphasized the need for measures that would support the circular economy and enhance the competitiveness of the steel sector.
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