Proposal for a new regulation on waste shipments

Subject: Proposal for a new regulation on waste shipments

In order to protect public health and the environment, on 17 November 2021 the Commission published a proposal for a new regulation on waste shipments. According to data from the European Environmental Bureau, Member States exported around 33 million tonnes of waste in 2020. Organisations such as the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation and the Bureau of International Recycling are concerned that the proposed regulation will only make the situation worse rather than change anything. According to these organisations, the proposal disregards the fact that reusable products will end up as waste at some point. Additionally, there are concerns that the amount of waste being shipped across the EU will increase.

In light of the above, and given the potential risk of cancer from exposure to landfills:

1. Will the Commission address the issue of the shipment of reusable products that end up as waste?

2. What steps will the Commission take to ensure that by reducing the amount of waste shipped out of OECD countries, it does not increase the amount shipped within the EU?

3. Apart from shipment regulations, does the Commission intend to take further steps to reduce plastic?

Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius on behalf of the European Commission (3 March 2022)

1. The Commission’s proposal for a new Regulation on waste shipments (1) contains an empowerment for the Commission to set out criteria for the distinction between used goods and waste, for specific commodities. Such criteria are to clarify the distinction between goods that still have significant potential to be reused and as non-waste are not regulated by the EU rules on waste, and discarded goods that are subject to those rules.

2. The review of the regulation on waste shipments aims to ensure that the EU takes greater responsibility for the waste it generates and does not export its waste challenges to third countries. The review also aims to support the transition towards a circular economy and therefore to facilitate shipments of waste going for preparation for reuse and recycling, while limiting shipments of waste for incineration and disposal as the least preferred options for treatment of waste with significant adverse environmental impacts.

3. The Single Use Plastics Directive (2) aims to reduce marine litter from single-use plastic products and fishing gear and promote the transition to a circular economy with innovative and sustainable business models, products, and materials. In the 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan (3), the Commission announced further targeted measures to address the unsustainable use of plastics and plastic waste, in line with the EU Plastics Strategy (4). The ongoing revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (5) aims to link the design of packaging with its end-of-life while also promoting reuse and waste prevention measures with possible new targets.

⋅1∙ https://ec.europa.eu/environment/publications/proposal-new-regulation-waste-shipments_en

⋅2∙ Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the

environment, OJ L 155, 12.6.2019, p. 1.

⋅3∙ COM(2020) 456 final; https://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/

⋅4∙ COM(2018) 28 final; https://ec.europa.eu/environment/strategy/plastics-strategy_en

⋅5∙ Directive (EU) 2018/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste, OJ L 150,

14.6.2018, p. 141.