EU Considers Ban on Russian Scrap Metal Imports Amid Ukraine Conflict

In a significant move, four European Union (EU) countries—Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Latvia, and Estonia—have proposed a ban on imports of waste and scrap ferrous metals, copper, and aluminium from Russia to the EU. This proposal, aimed at curtailing financial support for Russia's military actions in Ukraine, was presented during the European Union Environment Council meeting on 25 March.

Lithuania, playing a pivotal role in this initiative, urged the European Commission to evaluate all possible measures to either suspend these imports across the EU or allow member states to implement their own restrictive actions. Ambassador Jurga Kasputene, Lithuania's deputy permanent representative to the EU, emphasized the urgency of halting these imports, which are perceived as contributing to the funding of Russia's operations in Ukraine.

In 2022-2023, the EU imported waste and scrap materials worth over €118 million from Russia, with a significant portion passing through Lithuania. The proposal underscores the complexities of international waste trade, regulated by the Basel Convention and the Waste Transport Regulation, which currently prevents individual EU member states from unilaterally prohibiting such imports.