New measures on waste shipment enter into application to foster EU circular economy
Today, most provisions of the revised Waste Shipment Regulation enter into application. This includes the launch of the Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS) – the EU’s electronic platform to digitally process waste shipments and simplify procedures – and additional measures to support recycling in the EU and better scrutiny on export of plastic waste.
These new rules will foster the EU’s transition to a circular economy and represent a decisive step towards fully digitalised waste shipment procedures. By improving the traceability and availability of secondary raw materials, as well as reducing reliance on third-country imports of primary raw materials, they will contribute to strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy. It will also ensure that waste exported from the European Union is treated in an environmentally sustainable way.
The DIWASS electronic platform will transform how waste is tracked across the EU, ensuring greater transparency, efficiency, and security in cross-border waste movements. It simplifies procedures and reduces administrative costs for all stakeholders. It also contributes to combatting illegal waste trade. This transformation starts today for the prior informed consent procedure, involving hazardous waste, mixed municipal waste, waste destined for disposal, and mixed or contaminated waste, which now need to be processed through DIWASS.
Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, said: “In today’s geopolitical landscape, access to raw materials is not just an economic issue – it is a strategic imperative. A fully digital EU wide operational system to keep track of waste shipments will help Europe take control of its own resource flows, turning waste into a secure, sustainable source of critical materials. This is how we build a resilient, self-reliant Europe while cutting red tape and fighting illegal trade.”
