Raw materials decree, Casasco (FI): government supports companies’ position

“With an amendment and an order of the day signed by me approved to the measure on critical raw materials, intended to restart not only mining research regarding metals and other elements necessary for the transition, but also to guarantee supplies to our companies, the Government has fully embraced the line taken by Forza Italia, at the request of Confapi and Federacciai and that is to extend the notification procedure to the competent ministries to be able to proceed with exports to copper, aluminum and zinc scrap, in addition to ferrous scrap”. This is what Maurizio Casasco, Forza Italia MP and head of the economic department of the blue party, wrote in a note.

“Despite the precautions already introduced by the Draghi Government in March 2022 – he continues – there is a continuously growing trend in exports of ferrous scrap to non-EU countries, exports almost quadrupled from 2016 to 2023. Europe is also a net exporter of aluminum scrap – about 1 million t, 80% and copper scrap for about 900,000 t per year exported to Asia (China, India, Pakistan, Korea). Countries that then resell us the same raw materials as a processed product, often made with highly polluting methodologies and which will therefore, moreover, soon be burdened by an environmental duty on entry”.

“In several third countries, there is also a growing tendency to hoard ferrous scrap, which translates into a series of commercial restrictions on exports, such as: an absolute ban on exports; the adoption of licensing systems; the application of duties or export quotas”, continues Casasco. “Therefore, in addition to extending export control tools to other metals, I have also urged the Government to promote initiatives that encourage greater use of scrap metal within the European Union and to strengthen export controls directly at exporters’ warehouses”.

“The recycling of scrap metal, already present in our territory, is the least environmentally impactful methodology for procuring the metals necessary for economic development and energy transition”, according to Casasco. “But it is also the best system for securing supplies of those raw materials of which the European Union has little availability, while waiting for internal mining activity to restart. I thank my colleagues in the Productive Activities Commission who supported me in this battle. Forza Italia has the needs of businesses at heart, because it is only with a strong industrial system that growth and national wealth can be boosted by securing the jobs and well-being of citizens”, he concludes.