Egypt allows metal scrap imports only by licensed factories with a yearly waste permit, from Oct. 13, 2026.<\/p>\n
Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade has set new conditions for importing metal scrap, including used railway rails, in force from Oct. 13, 2026.<\/p>\n
The measure is Decree No. 501 of 2026, issued by Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh1<\/a><\/sup>. It was published in the Egyptian Gazette, Issue No. 225, on Oct. 12, 2026, and takes effect the day after publication1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n In short, only licensed factories and recyclers may now bring metal scrap into Egypt. Each needs a yearly permit before shipping, and every shipment must arrive with safety certificates and pass radiation checks before release.<\/p>\n The decree amends the rules that carry out Law No. 118 of 1975, Egypt’s main law on imports and exports1<\/a><\/sup>. It replaces Clause No. 7 of Annex No. 2 of those rules. That clause covers metal scraps and leftovers, including used railway rails<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The new clause sets two kinds of conditions. The first decides who may import the scrap. The second decides what must happen before customs releases a shipment1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The General Organization for Export and Import Control (GOEIC), Egypt’s import and export inspection agency, announced the decree on Oct. 14, 20261<\/a><\/sup>. It published the same text in Arabic on its Arabic news page2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Importers must first get a prior annual import permit<\/strong> from the Waste Management Regulatory Authority (WMRA)1<\/a><\/sup>. The decree treats metal scrap as non-hazardous waste for this permit1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Imports are also limited to two groups of buyers1<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n A trader without one of these licences cannot import metal scrap under the new clause. In practice, the scrap must go to a plant that melts or reprocesses it, not to a reseller.<\/p>\n No. The decree states that the scrap item does not include used automotive spare parts<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>. The Arabic text says the same thing in the same words2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n This means a shipment cannot bring in used car parts as metal scrap. Such parts fall outside the scrap clause and its permit.<\/p>\n Used railway rails remain inside the scrap item. But they must be cut up and broken before release<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>. The Arabic text calls this "scrapping" the rails before customs lets them go2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The rule stops whole rails from entering under the scrap heading. Only rails already reduced to scrap pieces can leave the port.<\/p>\n Every shipment must pass a radiation inspection<\/strong> by the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA)1<\/a><\/sup>. A representative of the Chemical Warfare Department must be present during this check1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The General Organization for Export and Import Control will also carry out random inspection<\/strong> of these shipments1<\/a><\/sup>. So a shipment with all its papers may still be opened and checked.<\/p>\n Put together, the path of a shipment looks like this:<\/p>\n Only after these steps can the scrap enter the Egyptian market.<\/p>\n The decree asks for two certificates1<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\nWhat does Decree 501 change for metal scrap?<\/h2>\n
Who may import metal scrap into Egypt now?<\/h2>\n
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Are used car parts still allowed as scrap?<\/h2>\n
What must happen to railway rails before release?<\/h2>\n
Which checks does a scrap shipment face at the border?<\/h2>\n
How a scrap shipment is cleared<\/h4>\n
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Which papers must travel with a scrap shipment?<\/h2>\n
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Papers a metal scrap shipment needs<\/h4>\n