W Steel Businnes Briefing ukazał się artykuł z Prezesem Waldemarem Markiem

Transition period for scrap imports to Poland to end soon

Imports of scrap into Poland are likely to rise significantly after this year. The cross-border movement of 'waste', including ferrous scrap, will become much easier as the special transition period for the waste imports – agreed in the EU accession treaty for Poland – will no longer be in force, Waldemar Marek, the president of Poland’s scrap association IPHGZ, told Platts Steel Business Briefing.

At present, scrap imports are hindered by lengthy administrative procedures for both importers and importees, including notification to environmental authorities and acquiring necessary permits. “It does not forbid imports but limits it significantly,” Marek said. It works only for importers with established partnerships abroad, he added.

This is reflected in the wide gap between scrap imports and exports in Poland. While the country’s exports for Q1 2012 totalled 402,000 tonnes, imports settled at 103,000 t, IPHGZ told Platts SBB.

With the “liberation” of the market next year, imports are likely to intensify, particularly in border regions. “Scrap dealers in Western Poland will be looking to buy material in Eastern Germany, especially when the euro-zloty exchange rate is favourable”, Marek noted.

This potential import growth will also depend on scrap intake by Polish steelmakers. So far this year their purchases have picked up 5% year-on-year, averaging at 500,000 tonnes/month. However, this is not reflected in finished products sales, which are widely seen as disappointing. Scrap quotations have also been falling as local mills have “large” volumes of unsold steel products on stock, Platts SBB heard. Looking ahead, the prices are expected to remain stable with slight fluctuations until September, Marek concluded.