European Commission Drafts Non-OECD Waste Export List For 2027
The Commission’s September 2026 draft proposes country- and waste-specific eligibility for non-OECD recovery exports from 21 May 2027. The draft is not an export authorisation.
Dr Steven Brennan
2 min readAI-drafted, expert reviewed
The European Commission published a draft non-OECD waste-export list on 18 September 2026. It proposes the destinations and specified non-hazardous waste streams eligible for recovery shipments under the new regime from 21 May 2027. Feedback closed on 16 October.
The draft creates no present export entitlement. Inclusion would be specific to each destination and waste stream, with other shipment and facility requirements still applying.
Country And Waste Conditions
Thirty-two countries and territories submitted requests. The draft proposes accepting various paper, textile, rubber, wood, glass, mineral and agro-food waste streams. It rejects numerous metal-waste requests where the assessment found insufficient evidence of equivalent environmental and health protection. Serbia and Ukraine have specified proposed metal entries.
The annex combines waste codes with detailed descriptions. Its fourth column identifies entries requiring prior written notification and consent. Other entries would follow Article 18 information requirements.
Transition To The New Regime
Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 generally applies from 21 May 2026, subject to transitional provisions. Article 37 of the preceding Waste Shipment Regulation continues until 21 May 2027, when Regulation (EC) No 1418/2007 is repealed.
From 21 May 2027, Article 46 also requires independent audits of receiving facilities. Domestic licensing alone is insufficient. The new list does not override excluded-stream controls, including the prohibition on B3011 plastic-waste exports to non-OECD destinations from 21 November 2026.
The Commission must update the list at least every two years. Article 41 requires removal without undue delay where its conditions for continued inclusion are no longer met.
Topics
Questions about this change
Can the Commission's draft non-OECD waste-export list be used as an export authorisation?
No. The Commission's draft non-OECD waste-export list is not an export authorisation. A final act and its application provisions are required before the proposed list can operate.
Would a country's inclusion on the EU non-OECD waste list authorise every non-hazardous waste stream?
No. Inclusion on the EU non-OECD waste list is limited to the destination's listed codes and descriptions. Applicable notification, consent, documentation and facility conditions also remain relevant.
Dr Steven Brennan
CEO and co-founder of Foresight, and a co-opted member of ECHA's Committee for Socio-economic Analysis. He holds a PhD in chemical engineering.
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