Economic growth and globalisation have led to a worldwide increase of waste transport - with or without dangerous goods - across borders, by road, rail and ship. Shipments of waste carry the risk of adverse effects to human health and the environment. Since 2004 waste exports from the EU to non-EU countries have increased by 72% with Turkey as the main destination for EU waste. 35.1 million tonnes of EU waste was exported in 2023.
The new Waste Shipments Regulation (WSR) was adopted on 11 April 2024 and entered into force on 20 May 2024. It aims to:
- Ensure that the EU does not export its waste challenges to third countries and contributes to environmentally sound management of waste.
- Strengthen enforcement to prevent illegal shipments of waste occurring within the EU, as well as from the EU to third countries
- Increase traceability of shipments of waste within the EU and facilitating recycling and re-use.
All new provisions (except exports) start to apply from May 2026. From November 2026 the plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries are banned whereas the new rules on exports shall start to apply from May 2027. With the new Regulation, procedures will move away from a paper-based approach to an electronic one. A central EU system will ensure the smooth operation of this exchange from May 2026.
Below the varying rules between the different areas:
- Rules for EU countries: (1) prior notification and consent procedure for all waste destined for disposal or in the case of hazardous and most mixed waste destined to recovery, (2) for green-listed” non-hazardous wastes within the EU and OECD for recovery, general information requirements.
- Rules for OECD countries: the procedural framework for exports to OECD countries outside the EU is very similar to the regime for shipments between Member States. Particular scrutiny will apply to the export of plastic waste.
- Rules for non-OECD countries: exports for disposal and hazardous waste exports for recovery to non-OECD countries will continue to be banned, as is already the case under current rules. Non-OECD countries willing to continue receiving waste from the EU need to submit their request to the Commission by 21 February 2025.
