Delay in Concrete Standard Reform Could Raise Tel Aviv Metro Costs by 830 Million Shekels
The ongoing delay in adopting the European concrete standard reform, known as "What Is Good for Europe Is Good for Israel," threatens to increase the Tel Aviv Metro project costs by approximately 830 million shekels. This conclusion comes from a professional opinion commissioned by the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Mass Transit System (NTA) and obtained by Calcalist. The report explains that government representatives on the Standards Institute committee are currently blocking full adoption of the European standard, forcing NTA to use concrete that complies only with the Israeli standard. This results in an additional cost of 300 to 500 million shekels for the metro construction. Furthermore, an extra 190 to 330 million shekels is expected due to the European carbon tax, which raises cement production costs under the Israeli standard.
The report was prepared by Dr. Galit Agrenti, a senior civil engineer and expert in building materials and concrete, who has been assisting NTA for two years in promoting the adoption of the European concrete standard. According to Agrenti, the process has stalled in the Standards Institute's concrete materials committee. The committee chair, Leo Robbins, who also represents the Ministry of Construction and Housing, refused to discuss the request and preferred to pass it to an expert committee supported by other government representatives, some of whom lack deep knowledge of the subject. Agrenti views this as an attempt to bury the reform, noting that the usual procedure involves professional committee discussions before referral to an expert committee, a process that could take over a year, while the metro project is already underway.
The European standard allows the use of 30 types of cement, offering better resistance to cracking, chlorides, aggressive environments, and improved thermal insulation, compared to only five types allowed under the Israeli standard, which are also the most polluting. Agrenti counters claims that the European standard is unsuitable for Israel's climate by noting its application across Europe from Scandinavia to Cyprus. The metro project is expected to use about 10 million cubic meters of concrete, including around 4 million tons of cement. Switching to the European standard could save between 300 and 500 million shekels directly and reduce clinker use, the most polluting cement component, thereby lowering CO2 emissions.
Additionally, the European carbon tax, currently about 75 euros per ton and expected to rise to 130 euros by 2030, will indirectly increase costs for NTA on imported cement. Adopting the European standard could save another 190 to 330 million shekels in this area. Agrenti attributes the delay mainly to a lack of early coordination among government ministries, professional bodies, and manufacturers on the committee, with some government representatives reportedly not fully informed. She emphasizes that this is a clear national interest issue involving competition, sustainability, and infrastructure budget savings, and calls for government-level policy discussion rather than just standards committee debate.
Industry sources indicate that local concrete producers and stakeholders benefiting from the market's concentrated structure oppose full adoption of the European standard, while professional organizations like the Engineers Association support it. In a recent Economic Committee discussion, Gil Lidji, chairman of the Building and Consumer Products Association in the Manufacturers' Association, sharply criticized the government's plan to grant blanket exemptions from standards for national infrastructure projects, calling such exemptions a "failure" and warning of enforcement gaps that could allow defective or dangerous products into the market. NTA believes a swift decision on this matter could significantly affect the metro's 177 billion shekel budget, some of which remains unfunded, and help reduce environmental harm.
The Ministry of Construction and Housing stated it is collaborating with the Ministry of Economy and others to promote European standard adoption, including cement standards. Currently, professional staff work is underway to examine the issue with the aim of opening the market to international products while ensuring public safety and construction quality, in line with lessons from the Zeiler Committee following the Versailles disaster.
