The 27 member states of the European Union exported more steel scrap to countries outside the trading bloc in 2025. According to preliminary figures from the European statistical office Eurostat, exports increased by 6 per cent year on year to 16.6 million tonnes.
EU imports of steel scrap from third countries also edged up by 1 per cent to 4.8 million tonnes. Overall, the EU thus remains a clear net exporter of "waste and scrap of iron or steel" with a surplus of 11.8 million tonnes.
According to Eurostat, the total value of EU-27 steel scrap exports last year amounted to €5.4bn, compared with €5.9bn for 15.6 million tonnes in 2024. The decline in export value per tonne – from €376 to €325 on average – corresponds with the overall negative price trend on the steel scrap market documented in the monthly EUWID surveys over the reporting period.
The full report, with charts illustrating the Eurostat data and recent trends in the extra-EU ferrous scrap trade, can be found here....
