BIR Raises Alarm Over EU Plan for New Controls on Recycled Aluminium Exports

BIR urged that the new trade measure should be evidence-based, proportionate, balanced and globally coherent.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has voiced strong concerns following remarks from European Commission Executive Vice-President for Trade, Maroš Šefčovič, regarding the beginning of preparatory work on a potential trade restriction aimed at exports of recycled aluminium from the European Union.

Speaking at a recent meeting with representatives of the European aluminium production industry, Šefčovič indicated that the European Commission intends to present a formal legislative proposal in spring 2026. The initiative is being framed as part of the Commission’s effort to curb what it describes as “aluminium scrap leakage” and to secure competitively priced recycled material for European manufacturers.

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However, BIR has challenged the justification behind the proposal, pointing out that data from the Commission’s own monitoring systems for secondary raw materials show no verifiable evidence of the alleged leakage problem. According to the organization, recycled aluminium plays a critical role in Europe’s circular economy ambitions and its broader transition toward decarbonization, making transparent and efficient market access essential.

BIR emphasized that the supply of recycled aluminium is highly dependent on open and fair international trade flows. Restrictive export measures, it warned, could disrupt global market balance, reduce investment incentives, and potentially undermine sustainability objectives.

The association has called on EU policymakers to ensure that any new regulatory framework is science-based, proportionate, carefully balanced, and coherent with global trade principles, rather than driven by industrial protectionism.