Learn / Export Scrap Metal: UK to UAE
The UAE's steel industry needs scrap feedstock to keep scaling. Here's what's actually involved in getting material from the UK into that market.
The UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council concluded free trade negotiations in May 2026, the first such deal the GCC has struck with a G7 country, a sign of where trade ties between the two are headed even though the agreement itself isn't ratified yet. Underneath that policy shift sits real industrial demand: Emirates Steel Arkan's Abu Dhabi plant alone runs at 5 million tonnes of electric arc furnace capacity, part of a broader pull of Gulf scrap volume away from traditional buyers like Turkey.
Export licences, customs declarations, and certificates of origin are the standard documentation set for scrap metal leaving the UK; requirements vary by material and destination.
UAE customs will expect the shipment to arrive with matching documentation on the other end, so make sure your certificate of origin and declared contents are consistent and accurate before departure.
Export volumes typically make sense from around 1 to 5 tonnes depending on the metal, with a standard container holding 20 to 25 tonnes.
UAE customs, administered by the Federal Customs Authority and the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, requires the right commodity code for each metal category on arrival.
Alongside the certificate of origin, expect UAE customs to require a shipper confirmation and a declaration of exactly what the shipment contains.
Since January 14, 2026, VAT on scrap metal transactions in the UAE is accounted for by the buyer under a reverse charge mechanism. Confirm with your buyer how this is handled in your deal.
This guide covers general ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap. E-waste is governed by separate, stricter Basel Convention rules. Trade terms between the UK and the UAE are actively moving, the GCC free trade deal is concluded but not yet ratified, so confirm current tariff and licensing status before committing to a shipment rather than relying on any single guide.
None of the licensing or customs steps above answer the question that actually matters on a first deal: whether payment shows up. ScrapTrade holds funds in escrow until delivery is confirmed, so that question has an answer that doesn't rest on trust alone. Check today's reference prices before you agree to a rate.
Yes. Export licensing and customs requirements for scrap metal apply UK-wide, there's no separate regime for the devolved nations on this specific process.
Not yet in force. The UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council (which includes the UAE) concluded FTA negotiations in May 2026, the first such agreement the GCC has reached with a G7 country, but as of mid-2026 the legal text still needs to be finalised, signed, and ratified before it takes effect. Worth watching, but don't plan around tariff terms that aren't live yet.
No, that restriction (June to October 2026) applies to scrap leaving the UAE, intended to protect domestic feedstock supply. It has no bearing on imports arriving from the UK.
It depends on the specific metal and destination. Confirm current UK export licensing requirements for your material before booking freight rather than assuming from a previous shipment.
Listing on ScrapTrade puts your material in front of verified UAE buyers directly, with escrow holding payment until delivery is confirmed, which matters more on a long international shipment than almost anywhere else.
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