The Italian association representing companies involved in the trading, distribution and processing of steel and metals, Assofermet, has welcomed the findings of the latest research published by the European Commission's Joint Research Center (JRC) on the EU steel supply chain. The findings show that the availability of ferrous scrap in Europe has long outpaced domestic demand and is expected to remain in surplus until at least 2035.
JRC analysis shows that overall scrap production - both new and post-consumer - will continue to increase in the coming years, ensuring high levels of raw material availability for the European steel industry. This trend, Assofermet emphasizes, definitively refutes the idea of a potential scrap shortage within the European Union.
Reaffirming its position in the ongoing debate over ferrous scrap exports to the EU, the association stressed that the problem of a shortage of recycled materials cannot be seen as a threat to the European steel industry “neither now nor in the next ten years.” Instead, Assofermet believes that the focus should be on improving the quality of scrap, noting that, as confirmed by the JRC, 87 percent of ferrous scrap exported from the European Union is of medium to low quality, even though it has already undergone recovery and processing processes.
In this regard, Assofermet reiterates its call on European and national institutions to implement targeted policies to support the recycling sector, encouraging investment in more advanced and effective technologies, including through the use of artificial intelligence. The association said the goal should be to increase the availability of high-quality scrap for the EU steel industry, while ensuring recycling companies are fairly remunerated.
