EU exported 13.4 million tonnes of scrap metal in January-October

In January-October 2025, EU companies specializing in ferrous scrap operations reduced exports of raw materials to third countries by 1.4% compared to the same period in 2024, to 13.36 million tons. This is evidenced by GMK Center calculations based on Eurostat data.

More than 66% of total exports went to Turkey – 8.76 million tons (+3.9% y-o-y). Other major consumers of raw materials include:

• Egypt – 1.33 million tons (-3.7% y-o-y);
• India – 858,930 tons (+1.7% y-o-y);
• Pakistan – 453,180 tons (-12.6% y-o-y).

These four countries account for 85% of scrap exports from the EU.

In October 2025, the EU exported 1.42 million tons of ferrous scrap, which is 2.6% less than in October 2024 and 3.7% less than in September 2025.

In October, 864.98 thousand tons of raw materials were sent to Turkish consumers (-12.9% y/y; +3.6% m/m), 114.01 thousand tons to Indian consumers (+9.6% y/y; +13.3% month-on-month), to Egypt – 163.46 thousand tons (+99.6% year-on-year; -29.1% month-on-month), and to Pakistan – 73.13 thousand tons (+31.5% year-on-year; +28.9% month-on-month).

The largest scrap exporters in January-October were: the Netherlands – 3.22 million tons (+63.8% y/y), Belgium – 2.06 million tons (+3.2% y/y), Poland – 1.02 million tons (-0.02% y/y), Germany – 1.07 million tons (+13.9% y/y), Denmark – 786.7 thousand tons (-14.1% y/y).

It should be noted that in 2024, scrap metal exports from the European Union to third countries decreased by 10.8% compared to 2023, to 16.72 million tons. In 2023, the figure grew by 7% y/y – to 18.7 million tons, and in 2022, it fell by 10% y/y – to 17.6 million tons – for the first time after more than six years of upward trend.

Steel production in the EU in 2024 increased by 2.6% y/y – to 129.5 million tons. Global steel output fell by 0.9% y/y – to 1.84 billion tons.