Ukraine imposes a total ban on the export of scrap metal from 2026
The Cabinet of Ministers has introduced a zero export quota for 2026 for the export of ferrous scrap (scrap metal), a strategic raw material for the metallurgical industry.
The relevant changes are mentioned in his resolution No. 1795"On approval of the lists of goods, the export and import of which is subject to licensing, and quotas for 2026" dated December 31, 2025.
According to the document, the volume of quotas of goods whose export is subject to licensing is given in Appendix 1. In particular, a zero quota is set for ferrous metal waste and scrap; ferrous metal ingots for remelting (charge ingots) according to code 7204 (according to the UKTVED). Zero quotas are also set for copper waste and scrap according to the code 7404 00 and for electrical and electronic waste and scrap, which are mainly used for the extraction of precious metals according to the codes 8549 21 00 00 and 8549 29 00 00.
Dmitry Kisilevsky, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development, welcomed the government's decision in a comment on his Facebook page, noting that strategically important raw materials should be processed in Ukraine, not exported abroad uncontrollably, and should create jobs, added value and taxes here.
This principle, according to the expert, is one of the basic principles for economic success, proven by dozens of developed countries. Ukraine also has a successful experience in its implementation: duties on sunflower seeds and a moratorium on roundwood have created entire new industries and attracted billions of dollars in investments. And the recently introduced duties on soybeans and rapeseed have already significantly increased the volume of domestic processing, said the deputy head of the parliamentary committee.
"The government's decision to set zero export quotas for the export of industrial wood and scrap from Ukraine in 2026 is an important example of the implementation of this principle. Thanks to Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko and Minister of Economy Alexei Sobolev for their position and understanding of national economic interests," the MP wrote.
Kisilevsky explained that it is beneficial for the state to leave all scrap inside the country, since 1 ton of scrap processed in Ukraine into finished products generates approximately UAH 15,000 in taxes. But 1 ton of exported scrap without duty actually does not form taxes (within 100 UAH per ton), since scrap metal harvesting remains mainly a "shadow" business.
He noted that the export of scrap to the EU is de facto a scheme to circumvent duties with losses for the budget of about 3.5 billion UAH per year. After all, the duty is currently 0 in the EU, 180 EUR in other countries. Scrap from Ukraine is mainly re-exported outside the EU. If 380 thousand tons of exported scrap were recycled in 2025