The EU has set ambitious targets to improve municipal waste management. EU Member States need effective strategies and policy instruments to achieve these targets.

This briefing provides an overview of some of the main instruments used across the EU and the performance of Member States so far.

Economic instruments can be useful policy tools for waste prevention and sustainable waste management. This is because they can make preferred management options, such as recycling, cheaper than or at least cost-competitive with their alternatives.

Like economic instruments, well-designed separate collection systems for municipal waste are a key enabler of high recycling rates and the collection of recyclables of adequate quality.