On 18 September 2026, the European Commission published a draft delegated act proposing the list of non-OECD countries that may be authorised to receive specified non-hazardous waste from the EU for recovery under the revised Waste Shipment Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/1157) (WSR).
This development is of direct importance to companies exporting recycled materials from the EU, as well as to businesses receiving these materials in non-OECD countries.
Exports will only be authorised where:
• the country has formally requested to receive the specific waste or mixtures concerned;
• the European Commission has concluded that the country meets the Regulation’s requirements for environmentally sound management;
• the destination country is included in the European Commission’s list of authorised countries under Article 41 of the Regulation, and only for specific waste streams for which the country has demonstrated environmentally sound management, with standards considered equivalent to the relevant EU environmental, health and climate protection requirements. The European Commission assessed these conditions under Articles 42 and 43 and Annex VIII.
• the waste is covered by the codes and descriptions expressly listed for that destination in the applicable Annex. Waste streams not listed for that country would not be authorised under this system from 21 May 2027.
What countries and territories are not / or only partially covered for metals?
Across all 32 requests reviewed as part of the European Commission’s assessment:
• 24 countries and territories applied to import ferrous and/or non-ferrous metal wastes
• 16 will no longer be able to import metal waste, however they are proposed for authorisation to import other waste streams: Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Vietnam.
• 5 are proposed for authorisation to receive certain metal waste streams: Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine.
• 3 metal applicants are omitted entirely: Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and Togo.
• 7 are excluded entirely (the three mentioned above, plus): El Salvador, Lao PDR, Nigeria, and Singapore.
Important to note: the European Commission does not give a country a blanket authorisation. It can authorise a country only for particular waste streams. This is why, for example, India can be listed for several waste streams (e.g. paper, wood, rubber, textiles, etc.) while not authorised to import ferrous and non-ferrous metals under currently proposed draft.
Important to note: For metals, the European Commission applies particular scrutiny. Ferrous and non-ferrous metal waste can only be authorised where the applicant demonstrates appropriate safeguards for issues such as air emissions, adequate pollution controls, permitting, treatment processes and management of residues.
Reminder: Plastic waste and e-waste were excluded from this authorisation exercise, as EU exports of these waste streams to non-OECD countries are subject to separate prohibitions under the Waste Shipment Regulation. Requests concerning these streams were therefore not assessed for inclusion in the proposed list. *
*https://ec.europa.eu/info