The Council of the European Union (EU) adopted a regulation amending regulation 1013/2006 on shipments of waste, which lays down requirements for shipments of waste within the EU and between the EU and third countries in order to protect human health and the environment (PE-CO S 69/14, 8792/14 ADD1).
The new regulation contains strengthened measures to ensure more uniform implementation of the waste shipment regulation throughout the EU. By January 1, 2017, member states will have to establish inspection plans, which must include the objectives and priorities of the inspections, the geographical area covered by the inspection plans and the tasks assigned to each authority involved in the inspections. The inspection plans must be based on a risk assessment. They are to be regularly reviewed and updated at least every three years. Member states will make information relating to inspections publicly available, including electronically, on an annual basis. The Commission will review the regulation by 2020.
The regulation will enter into force twenty days after its publication in the EU Official Journal. It will apply from January 1, 2016.
The final adoption of the legislation by the Council follows an agreement reached at first reading with the European Parliament. The European Parliament voted at its plenary session of April 17, 2014.
The new regulation amends regulation (EC) 1013/2006. That regulation contains only a general description of inspection requirements, which has resulted in so-called "port hopping", i.e. exporters of illegal waste choosing to send their waste through countries with less stringent controls.