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| EU Ferrous Scrap Exports |
EU Scrap Export Trends and Key Destinations in H1 2025
In the first half of 2025, the European Union reduced ferrous scrap exports to third countries by 0.9% year-on-year, totaling 8.11 million tons. This decline reflects shifting demand and supply dynamics in the global scrap market. Notably, Turkey absorbed approximately 70% of these shipments, receiving 5.57 million tons, a significant 15.3% increase compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, other major importers such as Egypt, India, and Pakistan showed varied trends, with Egypt’s imports dropping sharply by 45% and Pakistan’s by 18.7%, whereas India’s volume remained nearly flat with a slight 0.6% growth.
Monthly Export Volumes and Leading EU Exporters
In June 2025, EU ferrous scrap exports hit 1.09 million tons, down 6.9% from June 2024 and 4.4% from May 2025. These figures mark the lowest monthly exports since September 2024. Turkey’s scrap imports surged 28.1% year-on-year in June, while India, Egypt, and Pakistan experienced substantial declines. The Netherlands led EU exporters in H1 2025 with 1.88 million tons (+43% y/y), followed by Belgium (1.23 million tons, -4.4% y/y), Poland (630,670 tons, +8.6% y/y), Germany (670,080 tons, +10.1% y/y), and Denmark (562,190 tons, +13.8% y/y).
Broader Industry Context and Steel Production Trends
The downward trend in EU scrap exports follows a 10.8% decline in 2024 compared to 2023. This contrasts with 2023’s 7% growth and the 2022 contraction of 10%, ending six years of continuous growth. Despite this, EU steel production increased by 2.6% in 2024, reaching 129.5 million tons, whereas global steel output slightly decreased by 0.9% to 1.84 billion tons. Therefore, the reduction in scrap exports likely reflects changing internal scrap demand and global market rebalancing rather than weakened European steelmaking.
ScrapInsight Commentary
The modest decline in EU ferrous scrap exports during H1 2025 signals a market adjustment as Turkey’s demand rises amid weaker imports from Egypt and Pakistan. With EU steel production increasing, more scrap is likely retained domestically, tightening global scrap supply. Regulatory shifts towards circular economy models will further encourage internal scrap recycling, potentially stabilizing export volumes in the medium term.
