The European Commission has dropped plans for a 15% export duty on aluminium scrap following objections from India, opting instead to rely on revised waste shipment rules that will restrict exports of non-hazardous waste to non-OECD countries from May 2027.
The European Commission, on 11 September 2026, shelved its proposal for a 15% export duty on aluminium scrap. The measure was set for announcement on 23 September 2026 but was dropped following pressure from India, which imports roughly one third of the EU’s scrap shipments.
India raised objections to the plan during trade negotiations. The Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen plans to sign a free trade deal with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2026. Indian government officials had requested relief from the planned restrictions in late June.
Export volumes and price pressure
EU aluminium scrap exports surged 51% since 2019, reaching 1.26 million metric tons in 2025. Third countries currently pay up to 26% above the prices charged within the EU, partly due to subsidies and trade distortions. The original proposal included exemptions for 91 countries and territories, with India listed among them. The industry had requested a 30% duty, but the Commission had settled on 15%.
Environmental rules replace trade measure
The Commission will now rely on its Waste Shipment Regulation to control scrap exports. The regulation is expected to be finalised in November 2026. Starting in May 2027, the EU will ban exports of non-hazardous waste to non-OECD countries.
Thirty-two non-OECD countries have applied for exemptions from this ban. India, Thailand, and Malaysia do not meet the environmental standards required for exemptions on metal waste, so they cannot import metal scrap directly from the EU under the revised rules.
