The European Commission has begun work on several initiatives which will prepare the ground for the Circular Economy Act. The Act is set to be rolled out in 2026 and will support the EU's goals under the Competitiveness Compass and the Clean Industrial Deal: doubling the share of recycled material in the EU's economy and becoming a global leader in the circular economy by 2030.

One such initiative is the Digital Waste Shipment System. This will enable companies to move from paper to digital procedures for shipping waste across the EU single market, reducing the administrative burden and contributing to competitiveness. It will be in place from 21 May 2026, and is intended to simplify operations, improve traceability and curb illegal shipments. By digitalising these procedures, waste will be recycled at the most efficient facilities across the Member States.

Before this initiative is finalised, the Commission has launched a public consultation on harmonising the classification of certain waste types (“green-listed” waste) to facilitate their shipments across borders. It will be accessible until 31 October and aims to gather input from a wide range of stakeholders on waste streams to be addressed. Have views on this? Now's your chance!