Press Release: Revision on the WSR Approved by the Parliament
Adopted: Waste Shipment Regulation – Our Response
Strasbourg, 27 February 2024 – Parliament has officially approved the revision of the EU’s Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR) after over 2 years of deliberations. The revision introduces a harmonised digital notification system that we are hoping will help to close existing loopholes which still allow illegal waste shipments, while facilitating the legal intra-EU movement of waste for reuse, recycling, and recovery to supply a circular economy.
Municipal Waste Europe welcomes the newly revised Regulation, accelerating EU’s role to lay the foundation for a more robust European recycling industry. The goal is to stop the practice of exporting our EU waste challenges to third countries, given that in 2022, the EU exported 32.1 million tons of waste. That export not only represents a lack of responsibility but hinders our transition to a circular economy within the EU economic area, which in turn limits economic opportunities for creating high quality, environmentally sound jobs.
The waste shipment regulation has two main functions: to control illegal shipments which occur primarily to non-EU countries and to monitor, while enabling, intra-European shipments for recycling, thereby encouraging investments in recycling capacity at economies of scale and boosting the creation of a circular economy. Municipal Waste Europe welcomes the revised rules on ‘pre-consented facilities’ for recovery operations as this will enable two cooperating waste operators to agree a contract for the transboundary shipment of, e.g. sorted packaging waste (either material) to the recycling plant in a neighbouring Member State for a number of years; a facility which has existed but to date has been under used.
“The increase in duration for pre-consented waste treatment installations from 3 to a possible total of 10 years will hopefully encourage more use of this notification procedure, reducing waiting times and notification costs during this period for the contracted parties. This is a big step forward towards creating a reliable European area for recycling.”
Our members also look forward to the harmonised implementation of the waste lists in order that all Member States have the same legal understanding of green and amber listed wastes. The Commission has been given the power to decide on the classification of mixtures of green-listed waste as remaining on the green list or not by delegated act under Articles 75 and 76. Such decisions will facilitate the transboundary shipment of non-hazardous waste for repair for reuse and recycling without risking excessive costs or disruptions due to disagreements among competent authorities. The digital notification procedure will also be helpful in expediting such procedures through electronic controls and in monitoring the movements of waste.
We are committed to supporting the promotion of a European Area for recycling and advocate for a resilient European circular economy that balances environmental and social parameters with the economic.
We extend our gratitude to the Commission, the Council, and the Parliament for endorsing the Regulation on Waste Shipment.