On 8 July 2026, the EU adopted Regulation (EU) 2026/… amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 to allow the export of mixed municipal waste destined for recovery to Switzerland, reversing a ban that took effect on 21 May 2026. The amendment replaces point (f) of Article 44(2) to prohibit exports of such waste to all third countries except Switzerland, thereby maintaining a long-established cross-border practice from EU border areas to Swiss treatment facilities.
The original ban, introduced under Article 44(2)(f) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157, prohibited from 21 May 2026 the export of mixed municipal waste for recovery to any third country. This ended a practice where waste from EU border regions was shipped by rail to nearby facilities in Switzerland. The EU institutions concluded that the ban would have shifted transport to more distant countries and facilities, replacing rail with road transport, increasing management costs and greenhouse gas emissions with very limited environmental benefits.
The amendment enters into force on the twentieth day after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. The decision impacts EU waste producers and municipalities near the Swiss border, who can continue using existing rail-based logistics. Swiss waste treatment facilities retain access to EU waste streams. Environmental groups may question the exemption, but the EU argues the change reduces overall emissions and costs. The European Commission and Parliament were involved in the legislative process leading to this Council adoption.