EU Expands Russia and Belarus Sanctions to Include Scrap and Metal Goods
The European Union has expanded its sanctions regime against Russia and Belarus, extending restrictions to steel scrap, metal goods and related industrial inputs as part of a broader package targeting trade and supply chains, according to industry reports.
The measures introduce new import bans on a range of scrap materials from Russia, including ferrous, copper, nickel and aluminium scrap, tightening controls on revenue streams linked to the metals sector. The move marks a shift toward restricting secondary raw materials alongside primary metals and finished products.
Export controls have also been widened to cover steel and metal-related goods such as fasteners, cast iron and steel articles, welding consumables and certain categories of metalworking machinery. These restrictions are aimed at limiting access to equipment and materials that could support industrial production capacity.
Similar provisions apply to Belarus, where new import bans include iron ore and steelmaking by-products such as slag and dross. Export restrictions to Belarus now extend to steel fasteners, cast products, welding materials, metalworking tools and industrial lubricants.
The sanctions form part of a broader effort to close loopholes and prevent circumvention, with additional measures targeting financial flows, logistics and service providers linked to restricted trade.
Some of the newly listed restrictions include transitional periods to allow existing contracts to wind down. In the case of Belarus, certain exemptions will remain in place until July 25, 2026 for specific goods.
The inclusion of scrap materials highlights the EU’s increasing focus on upstream and secondary resource flows in sanctions design, reflecting the role of recycled metals in industrial supply chains.
Source: EUROMETAL
SUNSHINE Spotlight: The EU is extending sanctions beyond primary metals to scrap and processing inputs, tightening control over the full steel and metals supply chain.
