Everything industrial waste operators, exporters, and logistics managers need to know about EU Regulation 2024/1157, the DIWASS platform, and the second enforcement deadline on 21 November 2026.
- EU Regulation 2024/1157 entered full application on 21 May 2026, replacing Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006, which had governed cross-border EU waste shipments for 18 years.
- Paper-based prior informed consent procedures for notified waste shipments are no longer valid. All notified cross-border hazardous waste movements in the EU now require digital submission through DIWASS.
- A notified shipment requires advance approval from competent authorities in the countries of dispatch, transit, and destination. Every party in the chain, exporter, broker, carrier, and consignee, must hold an active DIWASS registration.
- A second enforcement deadline follows on 21 November 2026: all EU exports of plastic waste to non-OECD countries are banned from that date, covering both clean and contaminated streams.
- A shipment with any unregistered party in the chain is a non-compliant shipment. There is no grace period, and no retroactive paper-based process is accepted.
- TransFrontier Shipments (TFS) is fully DIWASS-registered and manages compliant digital PIC submissions, competent authority coordination, and treatment facility routing for industrial clients across DACH and the EU
| 8 stages
Every legally compliant transfrontier hazardous waste shipment under the Basel Convention requires at least eight sequential stages, each with its own documentation obligations and competent authority approvals Source: BFS Technical Consultancy methodology, Basel Convention Secretariatnt |
180+ countries
are parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal EU Reg 2024/1157 is the EU’s implementing framework for those obligations Source: Basel Convention Secretariat, 2024 |
21 November 2026
is the second enforcement deadline under EU Reg 2024/1157, when all EU exports of plastic waste to non-OECD countries are banned, implementing the Basel Convention Ban Amendment for plastic Source: EU Reg 2024/1157, Article provisions |
What Is EU Regulation 2024/1157 and Why Does It Matter Now
EU Regulation 2024/1157 is the revised EU Waste Shipment Regulation. It entered full application on 21 May 2026, replacing Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 which had been the framework for cross-border waste movements in and from the EU since 2008. The revision tightens the compliance chain, introduces mandatory digital processing, and expands restrictions on exports to non-OECD countries.
The most immediate change is the end of paper-based procedures for notified shipments. From 21 May 2026, every notified cross-border waste movement must be processed through DIWASS. No paper-based prior informed consent application is accepted for shipments executed after that date, regardless of when the shipment was contracted or planned.
What Is DIWASS and Who Needs to Register
DIWASS stands for Digital Waste Shipment System. It is the EU’s new centralised platform for submitting, tracking, and managing notifications and prior informed consent for cross-border waste shipments.
Every party involved in a notified shipment must hold active DIWASS registration before a shipment can proceed: the exporter, the broker, the carrier, and the consignee. Missing registration from any single party makes the shipment non-compliant. Registration is not a one-time formality; it must be current and verified at the time of each shipment notification.
What Is a Notified Shipment
A notified shipment requires prior written informed consent from competent authorities in all countries involved before the waste can move. This applies to hazardous waste, mixed municipal waste destined for disposal or recovery, and several other categories specified in the regulation. The notification must now be submitted digitally through DIWASS, with all competent authority responses recorded in the platform.
Green-listed waste streams considered low-risk that have pre-established routes to recovery may qualify for a simplified procedure. The majority of hazardous industrial waste does not qualify and falls under the notified procedure.
What the November 2026 Deadline Covers
From 21 November 2026, EU Regulation 2024/1157 prohibits all exports of plastic waste from EU member states to non-OECD countries. The ban covers both clean and mixed plastic streams, regardless of the intended use at the destination. It implements the Basel Convention Ban Amendment for plastic waste and closes the route previously used to export plastic to countries with informal processing sectors.
Operators currently using non-OECD treatment routes for plastic waste have a defined window to establish OECD-destination alternatives before the November deadline.
Key Concepts
DIWASS: Digital Waste Shipment System. The EU’s mandatory digital platform for notified waste shipment notifications and prior informed consent under EU Regulation 2024/1157, in force from 21 May 2026.
Notified shipment: A cross-border waste movement requiring prior written informed consent from competent authorities in all countries of dispatch, transit, and destination before the waste can move. Applies to hazardous waste and several other waste categories under EU Reg 2024/1157.
Prior Informed Consent (PIC): The formal approval process required before a notified waste shipment can proceed. Under EU Reg 2024/1157, PIC applications and approvals must be processed digitally through DIWASS. Paper-based PIC procedures are no longer valid from 21 May 2026.
Green list: A list of waste streams considered low-risk under the Basel Convention and EU Waste Shipment Regulation that qualify for a simplified non-notified export procedure. Hazardous waste and mixed waste streams almost always fall outside the green list.
Basel Convention Ban Amendment: An amendment to the Basel Convention that restricts the export of hazardous waste from OECD countries to non-OECD countries. EU Reg 2024/1157 implements this amendment for plastic waste through the November 2026 export ban.
Competent authority: The national authority in each country responsible for receiving, reviewing, and approving or refusing waste shipment notifications under the Basel Convention and EU Waste Shipment Regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions: EU Waste Shipment Regulation 2024/1157 and DIWASS
What is the difference between a notified and a non-notified waste shipment under EU Reg 2024/1157?
A notified shipment requires prior written informed consent from competent authorities in all countries of dispatch, transit, and destination before the waste can move. This applies to hazardous waste, mixed municipal waste, and waste destined for disposal. A non-notified (green list) shipment is a waste stream that qualifies as low-risk and has a simplified export procedure, typically clean, source-separated material going to a licensed recovery facility. Mixed or contaminated waste almost always falls under the notified procedure. Misclassifying a notified shipment as non-notified is a compliance violation carrying legal exposure in every country the shipment crosses.
Do shipments contracted before 21 May 2026 still require DIWASS processing?
Yes. EU Reg 2024/1157 applies to all shipments executed on or after 21 May 2026, regardless of when they were contracted. Existing paper-based consent documentation obtained under Regulation 1013/2006 does not satisfy the requirements of the new regulation for movements taking place after the implementation date. Operators with shipments in planning under the old system need to resubmit through DIWASS before the waste moves.
What happens if a carrier or consignee in the shipment chain has not registered on DIWASS?
The shipment cannot legally proceed. EU Reg 2024/1157 requires all parties named in a notified shipment to hold active DIWASS registration at the time of submission. If any party in the chain is unregistered, the competent authority in the country of dispatch will not approve the notification. Operators should verify DIWASS registration status for all logistics and treatment partners before initiating any new shipment notification.
Does DIWASS apply to waste shipments that are entirely within one EU member state?
No. DIWASS applies to cross-border waste shipments, meaning movements of waste between EU member states or from EU member states to third countries. Purely domestic waste movements within a single member state are governed by national law, not EU Reg 2024/1157.
What does the November 2026 plastic waste export ban mean for operators currently sending plastic to non-OECD treatment facilities?
From 21 November 2026, plastic waste cannot be exported from EU member states to non-OECD countries under any circumstances. Operators currently using non-OECD facilities — including some treatment routes through Southeast Asia, North Africa, and West Africa — need to establish OECD-destination alternatives before that date. Early engagement with licensed treatment facilities in OECD countries is advisable given that capacity at compliant destinations is finite.
Need support with DIWASS registration, notified shipment documentation, or treatment facility routing under EU Reg 2024/1157? TransFrontier Shipments (TFS) is fully registered and operational on DIWASS. Contact us at IPD@bfgroup.org.
About TransFrontier Shipments: TransFrontier Shipments (TFS) is the cross-border waste logistics and compliance division of BlackForest Solutions GmbH. TFS manages Basel Convention-compliant transfrontier shipments for hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams across more than 100 countries, including DIWASS-registered digital PIC submissions for notified EU waste shipments. TFS operates under the full BFS group compliance infrastructure and holds the relevant permits and documentation for multi-jurisdiction shipment management.