On Monday, Nigeria among 23 other non-members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries wrote letter to the European commission seeking to be included in the lost of countries to import non-hazardous waste.
In line with the new Waste Shipments Regulation, introduced as part of the EU’s Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan, the non-hazardous waste include plastics, bottles, clothes, concretes, stones, bricks, etc.
The regulation is aimed towards establishing rules that are rigid for the shipment, import and export of wastes between Europe and non-members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries.
“By that date, 24 requests were received for inclusion on the list of countries eligible to import non-hazardous waste from the EU after 21 May 2027 from Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, El Salvador, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Nigeria, North-Macedonia, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Taiwan1, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine and Vietnam,” the European commission said in Monday.
The statement added that; “The first list of countries authorised to receive waste from the EU will be established by 21 November 2026. Exports of waste to non-OECD countries that are not included in the list will be prohibited from 21 May 2027. This list will be updated regularly and at least every two years.
“Countries that have not submitted a request by 21 February 2025 can still send one to the Commission. These requests will still be considered, but there is no guarantee that their assessment will be finalised before establishing the first list of countries authorised to import waste from the EU. This first list is planned for adoption in November 2026.
Among the countries that have sent in their request include; Nigeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, El Salvador, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, North Macedonia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
However, by November 2026, the commission will publish list of countries that are eligible whereas, any country that does not appear on the list will be prohibited from Importing wastes from Europe.
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