EU waste policy aims to contribute to the circular economy by extracting high-quality resources from waste as much as possible. The European Green Deal aims to promote growth by transitioning to a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy. As part of this transition, several EU waste laws will be reviewed. 

The Waste Framework Directive is the EU’s legal framework for treating and managing waste in the EU. It introduces an order of preference for waste management called the “waste hierarchy”.

Certain categories of waste require specific approaches. Therefore, as well as the overarching legal framework, the EU has many laws to address different types of waste.

Read more about the Waste Framework Directive

Objectives

EU waste policy aims to protect the environment and human health and help the EU’s transition to a circular economy. It sets objectives and targets to

• improve waste management
• stimulate innovation in recycling
• limit landfilling

Contact

For more information about EU waste policy, please contact our functional mailbox.