Tariff regulations favor scrap exports
The recent agreement between the EU and the US marks a step toward de-escalation, but it does not solve the core problem. Aluminum products are still subject to an increased tariff rate of 50 percent, while aluminum scrap is only subject to 15 percent. This makes the export of scrap significantly more attractive than that of primary or semi-finished products.
Warning from the industry
Rob van Gils, President of Aluminium Deutschland e.V., emphasizes: "The current customs regulations do not solve our problem, but rather exacerbate the imbalance in the aluminum scrap market. The existing arbitrage window remains in place and threatens to become entrenched in the long term. A permanent increase in scrap exports from Europe is likely – with disastrous consequences for the recycling industry."
