PRESS RELEASE

Brussels, 25^thJuly 2008

BIRstrongly opposes Turkish export restrictions on copperscrap

TheBureau of International Recycling has sent a letter of complaint tothe association of mineral and metal exporters in Turkey, denouncingexport restrictions for copper and copper alloy scrap which wereimposed on 27^thMay 2008.

Thiscomplaint was initiated by the Brussels-based non-ferrous metalsassociation EUROMETAUX, which asked BIR for support.

Theunilateral decision of Turkey not to grant licences to their nationalexporters does not seem to have been published in any officialdecree; such a protectionist attitude must be condemned, particularlyat a time when raw materials are urgently needed everywhere in theworld, states BIR.

Turkey is amember of the WorldTrade Organisation and such restrictions are not acceptable unlessthey are justified for strategic reasons and negotiated with the WTO.

Byimposing these restrictions on copper scrap exports, Turkey isolatesitself from the international copper scrap market and gives itsdomestic industry exclusive access to this material.

BIRhas recently set up an International Trade Council with the mainobjective of monitoring the international exchanges of scrap andrecyclables to detect, and fight against, any trade barrier such asas duties, quota, bans etc.

EUROMETAUXhas filed an official complaint with the EU Commission, expressingtheir serious concern on behalf of the European copper operators.