Today, the Commission adopted detailed rules enabling economic operators to use exclusively digital systems for shipping waste across the EU single market. This shift from paper to digital procedures will reduce administrative burden and costs, contributing to the competitiveness of EU businesses.
The digitalisation of waste shipment procedures is one of the key objectives of the new Waste Shipment Regulation, adopted in April 2024.
To support this, the Commission is developing a Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS). This system will simplify waste shipments between Member States, ensuring that waste is recycled at the best facilities in the EU.
The digital system will strengthen markets for secondary materials and support the transition to a competitive circular economy in the EU. It will also improve traceability and address illegal waste shipments.
DIWASS will serve two key functions, as required by the Regulation:
- It will act as a central system accessible directly by competent authorities and economic operators currently without digital tools.
- Function as a central hub, enabling secure exchange of information and documents between this central system and local systems operated by certain Member State authorities, and commercial software used by businesses.
Implementation
From 21 May 2026, using DIWASS will be mandatory for all intra-EU waste shipments, making the entire process fully digital. DIWASS will cover:
- Notified waste shipments: Streamlining and accelerating the consent procedure.
- Green-listed waste shipments: Enhancing monitoring by authorities and inspection bodies.
In the future, DIWASS can be used voluntarily as well by competent authorities and economic operators in non-EU countries for shipments that involve at least one EU Member State.
Next steps
The Commission will continue developing DIWASS, including preparing technical documentation and user instructions by the end of 2025.
Training sessions for national authorities will be held later in 2025 to ensure they can support economic operators in adopting the new system ahead of the May 2026 deadline.
Background
Currently, waste shipments between EU Member States rely on paper-based procedures that are time-consuming, inconsistent, and delay recycling efforts. The 2024 Waste Shipment Regulation mandates a transition to digital processes to address these issues.
Notified waste requires prior written notification and consent before cross-border transport, involving detailed documentation on waste characteristics, transport methods, and guarantees such as insurance and regulatory compliance.
Green-listed waste generally does not require prior consent due to lower environmental risks, but contaminated green-listed waste may require notification if it poses additional risks.
The new digital system, DIWASS, will apply to notified and green-listed waste.
More information
Waste shipments | Commission page
Implementation of the Waste Shipment Regulation | Commission page
Details
- Publication date
- 2 July 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for Environment
