IMPEL Waste & TFS Conferences

Project description and aims

Many projects and activities of the Waste and TFS Expert Team are based on the European Waste Shipment Regulation (EC) Nº 1013/2006 (WSR). Being a Regulation and including a cross-border aspect, it is of high importance to have an active and practical European network of inspectors and regulators that meet on a regular basis to exchange practical experiences. Not only environmental inspectors, but also Customs and Police officers and the Judiciary. Ongoing IMPEL-TFS projects continue to show the need for establishing and above all maintaining good and practical collaboration between Member States, third countries and relevant international organisations.
In June 2014 a number of amendments to the WSR were adopted, aiming at a better and more equal inspection regime of the WSR throughout the EU; for example by the establishment of inspection plans. The amendments also enhance the competences of the enforcement agencies and improved sharing of information.

These annual conferences aim therefore to facilitate:

• Exchanges of best practices and experiences;
• Promotion of IMPEL work to a broader audience;
• A more uniform approach and interpretation of the WSR;
• Improved collaboration between the involved law enforcement agencies;
• Presentations of the outcomes of other relevant (international) projects and initiatives;
• Collection ideas for future work of the Waste and TFS export team;
• Improving links and joint actions with countries and regions outside the European Union.

Related files/information

• European Waste Shipment Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006.
• Commission Regulation (EC) 1418/2007 concerning the export of certain wastes for recovery to NON-OECD countries.
• The enforcement activities are based on the EC Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the European Community. This is directly applicable in all Member States of the EU. Article 50 requires Member States to enforce the regulation and to check shipments and to cooperate bilaterally or multilaterally with one another in order to facilitate the prevention and detection of illegal shipments.
• OECD-Ratsbeschluss C(2001)107/FINAL
• International Conventions: Basel, Hong Kong and Bamako Convention