Draft list of countries authorised to import EU waste
On 18 September 2026 the European Commission published a draft list of non-OECD countries allowed to receive certain non-hazardous waste after May 2027. The consultation ran until 16 October 2026.
- The basis is the 2024 Waste Shipment Regulation; a country is listed only after demonstrating environmentally sound waste management. Thirty-two countries applied to keep receiving EU waste.
- Dates: the ban on exporting plastic waste to non-OECD countries applies from 21 November 2026, the general export ban from 21 May 2027; the final list is to be completed by the end of 2026 and updated at least every two years.
- In 2025 the EU exported around 32 million tonnes of waste, roughly 40% of it to non-OECD countries — pre-shipment waste testing (composition, leaching, contaminants) gains importance.
Source: Komisja Europejska — Commission publishes draft list of countries authorised to import EU waste