News
17 Oct 2022

Update on the Waste Framework Directive review

The Waste Framework Directive (WFD) is the EU Framework that sets the basic concepts and definitions related to waste management, including definitions of waste, recycling and recovery - and it is now up for review.

The European Commission officially kicked-off the review of the WFD in January 2022, when it opened a call for evidence for an Impact Assessment. From May to August 2022, the Commission held a 12-weeks public consultation for stakeholders’ input.

Planned to be more targeted than the one carried in 2018, this review was initially set to address waste prevention, separate collection, waste oils and textiles, and to incorporate the Commission’s initiative to set up EU targets for food waste reduction.

Based on latest available information and following the different stakeholder consultations organised by the Commission, the scope of the policy initiative for the targeted amendment of the Waste Framework Directive has been further refined to focus on:

  • Policy options supporting a more circular and sustainable management of textile waste, in view of the objectives set out in the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles.
  • Assessing the feasibility of setting food waste reduction targets to implement the Union’s commitments under the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Farm to Fork Strategy, and to limit the food supply chain’s impact on the environment and climate.

Further consultation activities for the other areas, i.e. waste prevention and preparation for reuse and recycling will not be held as these are no longer in the focus of the targeted review. Work concerning waste prevention monitoring, separate collection of dry recyclables and biowaste, and the sustainable management of waste oils is however ongoing. The European Commission aims to share the best practices identified in the support studies organised in 2021-2022, and is preparing reports. However, it is unclear whether the Commission will still propose measures to strengthen waste management across the EU.

WHAT DID YOU MISS?

  • May – August 2022: European Commission 12-weeks public consultation for stakeholders’ feedback on the WFD.
  • 13 September 2022 (cancelled): Second stakeholder workshop on the study to support the impact assessment (preparation for re-use and recycling and waste prevention), focused on proposed policy options and impacts.

WHAT’S NEXT?

  • Q2 2023: Expected publication of EC proposal for the revision of the WFD.