Industries call for concessions on Waste Shipment Regulation

The European Commission is being urged to ease two operational requirements of Europe’s new Waste Shipment Regulation which apply from 21 May.

A group of 13 trade associations including Recycling Europe, Eurofer (steel), Cepi (paper), Fead (waste management) and Plastics Europe are most concerned about the mandatory electronic submission and exchange of information and documents, as well as the obligation to complete the Annex VII form at least two working days before any shipment.

In a joint letter to the Commission, the groups point out that waste shipments are a cornerstone of the EU’s circular economy but also a significant source of administrative burden.
‘As the imminent application of these new rules approaches, certain aspects – particularly those related to electronic procedures and Annex VII documentation – remain a persistent source of concern for European value chains,’ the letter states.

Digital system

The letter backs the digitalisation of procedures to enhance efficiency and traceability. But it argues the new Digital Waste Shipment System (Diwass) presents ‘significant operational and technical challenges’ and quotes the experiences of Member States in implementing similar digital systems.‘While fully supporting the importance of the timely implementation of Diwass as a key tool for harmonisation and transparency, we respectfully urge the European Commission to lead the establishment a transition/adaptation period of at least one year for the EU-wide implementation of Diwass.’

The groups say operators unable to fully comply with the new digital system should be permitted to submit required documents in the transport vehicle via alternative means, such as post, fax, or email, without facing penalties.

Annex VII deadline

The groups say a requirement to submit the required Annex VII form two working days before shipment imposes ‘a disproportionate logistical constraints and administrative burden on operators’ and should be repealed.

‘This requirement is unrealistic and impractical, particularly for green-listed intra-EU waste shipments, where logistics are often planned hours in advance to meet customer demands or optimize transport efficiency,’ the letter goes on.
‘Contrary to the Commission’s objectives,this measure undermines the competitiveness of circular products compared to virgin materials, which are not subject to similar administrative burdens.