Update on the planned revision of the waste shipment regulation

The European Commission is currently working on a revision of the Waste Shipment Regulation in order to align it with the overriding goal of developing a circular economy. The legislative proposal is expected to be published in spring 2021.

The Commission wants the revised Waste Shipment Regulation to contribute to the following objectives:

• ensuring a smooth functioning of the European Union’s internal market for waste and supporting the transition towards a circular economy,
• better guaranteeing that waste shipped to third countries is managed in an environmentally sound manner, and
• better preventing and addressing illegal shipments of waste.

A recent stakeholder workshop hosted by the Commission revealed the complexity of the issue along with differences over how to set rules that would contribute to the above goals.

However, there was agreement that the current regulations urgently need to be revised.