Shipments of waste: export of mixed municipal waste for recovery to Switzerland
Regulation (EU) 2026/1703 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 July 2026 amends Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 as regards the prohibition on the export of mixed municipal waste destined for recovery. It was adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure, based on Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
Background and Purpose
Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 on shipments of waste prohibits, from 21 May 2026, the export from the European Union (EU) of mixed municipal waste destined for recovery in third countries. This prohibition would have ended the long-established practice of transferring such waste from EU border areas to nearby treatment facilities in Switzerland, where high waste management standards apply. The Regulation notes that the ban would shift waste transport to more distant countries and facilities, replacing rail transport with additional road transport. This would increase management costs and generate additional greenhouse gas emissions, while providing very limited benefits.
Main Provisions
To address this, the Regulation amends Article 44(2), point (f), of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157. Under the amended provision, the export of the waste referred to in Article 4(3) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 remains prohibited, except to Switzerland. This allows the continuation of exports to Switzerland of mixed municipal waste destined for recovery, while maintaining the general prohibition on exports to other third countries.
Procedure
The Regulation was adopted following the European Parliament's position of 18 June 2026 and the Council's decision of 29 June 2026. The European Economic and Social Committee delivered its opinion on 17 June 2026, and the Committee of the Regions was consulted. Due to the imminent entry into force of the export prohibition and the limited validity period (maximum one year) of consents already given for shipments to Switzerland, the exception to the eight-week period under Protocol No 1 on the role of national Parliaments was invoked, allowing for expedited adoption.
Entry into Force
The Regulation entered into force on 30 July 2026, the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union on 10 July 2026. It is binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
This summary was AI-generated and human-reviewed.