Europe cannot build a circular economy by collecting strategic materials domestically only to let them slip through its fingers, Evangelos Mytilineos emphasised in a post on LinkedIn:
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IS DRIVING SECONDARY ALUMINIUM SMELTERS TO DESPAIR — AGAIN!
Last year, the European Commission pledged to introduce a targeted measure by the second quarter of 2026 to halt the outflow of aluminium scrap from Europe. It even conducted a dedicated public consultation, explicitly recognising the importance of retaining aluminium scrap in Europe for decarbonisation, strategic autonomy, and the continent’s industrial competitiveness.
However, this official commitment has recently been abandoned. Instead, we now hear vague promises of a different approach under alternative legal frameworks, which may result in yet another year of discussions in Brussels.
Enough is enough.
Europe’s aluminium scrap problem cannot wait.
The scale of the issue is already clear. EU aluminium scrap exports reached a record 1.27 million tonnes in 2025, up 50% compared to 2019. Exports to the United States alone rose by 243% in 2025 compared to 2024.
While we continue to deliberate, this strategic secondary raw material is leaving the EU at a rapid pace, depriving recycling businesses of the feedstock they need to invest, decarbonise their operations, and grow. This directly contradicts Europe’s commitments to circularity, critical raw materials, and industrial resilience.
Meanwhile, our trading partners are taking action. One after another, they are introducing export duties, restrictions, and other measures to keep scrap for their own industries. Europe, once again, seems determined to defend an idealised version of open, rules-based trade that increasingly exists only on our side.
The Commission must now introduce an effective measure covering all relevant products and destinations.
Europe cannot build a circular economy by collecting strategic materials domestically only to let them slip through its fingers!