Four MEPs from The Left group have asked the European Commission to confirm that materials meeting national end-of-waste (EoW) criteria cannot be reclassified as waste by other Member States when shipped across borders. In a written parliamentary question submitted on 20 April 2026, Valentina Palmisano, Pasquale Tridico, Dario Tamburrano and Carolina Morace argue that such reclassification undermines the circular economy and creates trade barriers.
The question cites Italy's Ministerial Decree No 188/2020, which sets EoW criteria for paper. Under EU waste law, Member States may adopt national EoW criteria where no EU-wide standards exist, and must notify the Commission. The MEPs contend that materials complying with a notified national EoW regulation should be treated as non-waste goods throughout the single market, not subjected to the Waste Shipment Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 by other Member States.
Concrete asks and policy direction The question contains two concrete requests. First, the MEPs ask the Commission to confirm that national EoW-compliant materials cannot be made subject to waste shipment rules when exported to another Member State. Second, they ask whether the Commission agrees to ensure mutual recognition of Member State EoW regulations to foster the circular economy, facilitate free movement of goods and prevent trade barriers.
the MEPs advocate for stronger EU-level enforcement of mutual recognition for national EoW schemes, effectively pushing for a more integrated single market for secondary raw materials. This would reduce administrative burdens on businesses and encourage recycling by giving legal certainty to cross-border shipments of materials that have ceased to be waste.
Expected follow-up The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it views mutual recognition as already implicit in existing legislation or whether it considers further harmonisation or guidance necessary. The response will be closely watched by waste management operators, paper recyclers and national authorities, as it could clarify the legal status of cross-border EoW material flows and affect investment decisions in recycling infrastructure.
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