MEP Wouter Beke (PPE) has raised concerns over the uneven implementation of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 on plastic waste exports, which entered into force on 21 May 2026. In a parliamentary question submitted on 30 June 2026, Beke warns that significant divergences between Member States in applying the new prior notification and consent procedure are creating distortions of competition within the internal market. He also highlights unresolved technical problems with the Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS), the platform used for export notifications, which are preventing competent authorities from processing transfers.
the Commission's awareness of divergent national interpretations and DIWASS malfunctions; steps to address competitive distortions caused by these divergences; and a timeline for resolving the technical glitches, along with interim measures to protect waste management operators from operational harm. The MEP's intervention reflects a cleavage between uniform EU regulatory enforcement and national discretion, with potential negative impacts on waste exporters facing unequal compliance costs and positive impacts on the push for a level playing field. The European Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal its willingness to enforce harmonised application or allow flexibility. Stakeholders most affected include EU waste management operators, national competent authorities, and the broader recycling industry.