EU Tightens Rules on Waste Shipments with New Regulation

In alignment with the European Green Deal and the second EU Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Union has introduced a new Waste Shipments Regulation that establishes stricter controls on the movement of waste within the EU and its import and export to non-EU countries.

The regulation aims to prevent the EU from shifting its waste problems to third countries while promoting environmentally sound waste management and addressing illegal waste trafficking.

One of the key provisions includes tighter restrictions on waste exports to non-OECD countries. Starting November 21, 2026, the export of plastic waste to these countries will be completely banned.

New Requirements for Non-OECD Countries

For non-OECD countries wishing to import non-hazardous waste from the EU, the regulation mandates that they submit formal requests to the European Commission by February 21, 2025. These requests must demonstrate the country’s capacity to manage the imported waste in an environmentally sound manner under conditions equivalent to EU standards.

The requests must include detailed information and documentation as specified in Annex VIII of the regulation. Based on these submissions, the European Commission will compile a list of eligible non-OECD countries permitted to import waste from the EU.

Timeline and Compliance

• The list of eligible non-OECD countries will be finalized based on requests received by the February 2025 deadline.
• Requests submitted after this date will still be considered but will only impact updates to the list after November 21, 2026.
• The list will be updated at least every two years, with exports prohibited to non-OECD countries not included on the list starting May 21, 2027.

Each non-OECD country must ensure that a single, comprehensive request is submitted by the competent national authority, covering all types of waste it intends to import from the EU.

The regulation represents a significant step toward achieving the EU’s environmental and sustainability goals by strengthening oversight of waste management and reducing the ecological burden on third countries.

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