The New Circular Economy Action Plan is one of the main building blocks of the European Green Deal. It sets initiatives along the entire lifecycle of products with the aim to ensure that the resources used for their production, including the waste generated, are kept in the EU economy for as long as possible.
At the same time, the circular economy policy aims at protecting the environment and empowering the consumers. Waste shipment within and outside the EU has a crucial role in achieving the EU circular economy objectives.
At EU level, the transboundary movements of waste are governed by Regulation (EC) 1013/2006 on shipments of waste (WSR). However, the current design and implementation of the regulation suffer from deficiencies and thus challenge the achievement of the EU circular economy objectives. This Implementation Appraisal looks at the practical implementation of the WSR in light of the Commission proposal for a revision of the regulation expected in the second quarter of 2021.