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Understanding DIWASS Requirements

Digital Waste Shipment System — Regulatory Guide

Last updated: March 2026 | Regulatory basis: Regulation (EU) 2024/1157; Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1290

Key Points​

  • DIWASS (Digital Waste Shipment System) becomes mandatory on 21 May 2026 for shipment procedures requiring electronic documentation under Regulation (EU) 2024/1157.
  • The system replaces paper-based procedures previously used under Regulation (EC) 1013/2006.
  • Notifications, consents, movement documents, and Annex VII documentation must be exchanged electronically.
  • Operators may access DIWASS through the central EU interface, national systems, or interconnected commercial software.
  • All shipment sites must be registered with the competent authority before appearing in DIWASS documentation.

Overview​

The Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS) is the EU-wide electronic platform through which operators and competent authorities are required to submit and exchange information and documents relating to transboundary shipments of waste. 21 May 2026 — Mandatory application of DIWASS. From that date, its use is mandatory for all waste shipments involving EU Member States where an electronic procedure is required under the Waste Shipment Regulation.

DIWASS replaces the paper-based documentation procedures that have governed cross-border waste shipments under Regulation (EC) 1013/2006, which itself ceases to apply on the same date. The transition represents the most significant structural change to waste shipment administration in the European Union in two decades.

The obligation to use the DIWASS system derives from Article 27 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on shipments of waste (the Waste Shipment Regulation, or WSR), published in the Official Journal of the EU on 30 April 2024.

Article 27 requires that from 21 May 2026, all notifications, consents, acknowledgements of receipt, objections, movement documents, Annex VII documents, and other information and decisions connected to waste shipments must be transmitted and exchanged electronically. In practical terms, this means that documentation historically exchanged on paper must now be created and transmitted through a digital platform connected to DIWASS — either via the DIWASS platform directly or through national or commercial systems that are interconnected with it.

The technical and operational requirements for this interconnection are established in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1290 of 2 July 2025 establishing technical and operational requirements for the Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS), adopted following a positive unanimous opinion from the Committee on Waste. The technical documentation for API interconnection was subsequently published by the Commission in January 2026.

Scope of Application​

DIWASS applies to two categories of waste shipment procedure:

Notified waste shipments. These concern waste classified as requiring prior written notification and consent before cross-border transport. They involve detailed documentation on waste characteristics, intended transport routes, financial guarantees, and the involvement of competent authorities in the countries of export, import, and any transit states. DIWASS digitises the full notification lifecycle — from initial submission to acknowledgement, decision, consent, movement, and completion.

Annex VII waste shipments. These concern so-called green-listed waste, which under EU rules does not require prior notification and consent due to lower environmental risk. Such shipments are instead accompanied by an Annex VII document. From 21 May 2026, this document must be created and completed electronically via DIWASS. Paper-based Annex VII processing will no longer be the basis of the procedure.

In addition, DIWASS provides a mechanism for operators to access information on recovery facilities, including decision and pre-consented recovery facility records, which is relevant to notifiers planning shipments to facilities with existing consents.

System Architecture​

The DIWASS platform operates as a dual-function system supporting the EU digital waste shipment system and electronic waste shipment notification procedures across the European Union:

Graphical User Interface (GUI). A web-based portal operated by the European Commission, accessible directly to competent authorities and economic operators who do not use a local national system or commercial software solution. The DIWASS interface allows operators to register, manage, and complete all required shipment documentation within the central platform.

Interoperability Hub. A central data exchange node enabling secure interconnection between DIWASS and national systems operated by competent authorities in certain Member States, as well as commercial software used by businesses. Systems connecting via this hub must comply with the technical requirements established in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1290.

This architecture reflects the uneven digitalisation landscape across Member States. Some countries have well-established national platforms for waste shipment administration — and these will continue to operate, connected to DIWASS via API. Others have no pre-existing digital infrastructure and will rely on the DIWASS GUI directly.

Access Modes​

Operators have three principal access routes to DIWASS:

Direct access via the DIWASS GUI. Operators register and interact with the central EU platform through their own accounts. All documentation is managed within the DIWASS interface.

Via a national system operated by the competent authority. In Member States where the competent authority operates a local system that is interconnected with DIWASS, operators may be required or permitted to use the national platform. In this scenario, operators do not necessarily need to register directly with the DIWASS GUI.

Via commercial software. Businesses may use third-party software solutions that are interconnected with DIWASS through the interoperability hub. In such cases, operators do not need to set up a DIWASS user account independently; the software provider manages the connection.

Access requirements vary by jurisdiction. Competent authorities are responsible for communicating to economic operators in their territory how they must access DIWASS — whether through the GUI, a local system, or commercial software. The European Commission committed to publishing an overview of access rules for individual Member States following 3 February 2026.

Competent authorities may also adopt a hybrid approach, requiring the use of local systems for some procedures (for example, the notification procedure) while directing operators to the DIWASS GUI for others (for example, Annex VII documents).

Operator Registration​

A key operational requirement is that all sites involved in waste shipments must be registered in DIWASS before they can appear in any electronically submitted notification, movement document, or Annex VII document.

Site registration is carried out by the competent authority at the request of the operator. Operators should therefore not assume automatic inclusion. Pre-registration must be initiated through the relevant national competent authority. Given that the number of affected operators across the EU is substantial, and registration had not yet commenced at the time of the mandatory application date, operators are advised to contact their competent authority to initiate this process as early as possible.

Access to the DIWASS GUI is through individual personal user accounts. Operators using commercial software do not require personal DIWASS accounts, provided that the software is properly interconnected.

Parties Covered​

DIWASS covers all parties in the waste shipment chain, including:

  • Notifiers and arrangers (for green-listed waste)
  • Waste producers
  • Carriers and transport operators
  • Consignees
  • Recovery, disposal, and laboratory facilities
  • Competent authorities in countries of export, import, and transit

All parties involved in a given shipment interact with the same underlying digital record. Carriers do not typically submit notifications, but they participate in the completion of movement documents, including carrier transfer certificates. The expectation is that all parties in the supply chain maintain the capacity to interact with DIWASS-based documentation workflows.

Document Lifecycle Under DIWASS​

Notified Waste Shipments​

The DIWASS notification lifecycle broadly covers the following stages:

  1. Draft and submission — The notifier creates and submits the notification through DIWASS or an interconnected system.
  2. Acknowledgement — The competent authority of destination acknowledges receipt.
  3. Decision — Competent authorities issue consent, objection, or withdrawal of consent. Conditions may be attached. Financial guarantee requirements apply.
  4. Movement document — Prior to each shipment within the consented period, a movement document is completed, including carrier information and actual shipment details.
  5. Carrier transfer certificates — Completed by carriers when custody of the shipment changes.
  6. Reception certificates — Issued by the consignee upon receipt of waste.
  7. Facility reception and completion certificates — Issued by the receiving facility upon reception and, subsequently, upon completion of recovery or disposal operations.

Annex VII Waste Shipments​

For green-listed waste, the Annex VII document must be created and submitted electronically prior to the shipment. The requirement to submit at least two working days before the shipment begins is one of the provisions under scrutiny (see Implementation Challenges below). The document is completed progressively as the shipment is received and processed by the facility.

Third-Country Operators​

DIWASS is available on a voluntary basis to competent authorities and economic operators based outside the European Union for shipments involving at least one EU Member State. Third-country operators that are not registered in or resident of the Union and do not have access to DIWASS retain the option to transmit information and documents by post, fax, or email with a digital signature, as provided under Articles 38(2) and 51(2) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157.

Transition Provisions​

The regulatory transition is governed by Article 85 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157:

  • Until 21 May 2026, Regulation (EC) 1013/2006 continues to apply in full to ongoing shipment procedures.
  • Notifications for which the competent authority of destination has issued an acknowledgement of receipt before 21 May 2026 must be completed under the provisions of the former regulation.
  • Consents granted under Article 9 of Regulation (EC) 1013/2006 remain valid after 21 May 2026, provided that the final treatment of the shipped waste is completed by 21 May 2027 at the latest.

Implementation Challenges​

The rollout of DIWASS has proceeded under significant time pressure, and a number of implementation concerns have been raised by industry and professional associations.

Although the Waste Shipment Regulation allowed a 24-month preparation period from its entry into force in May 2024, the implementing rules for DIWASS were not adopted until July 2025, and the technical specifications for API interconnection were published only at the end of January 2026 — fewer than four months before the mandatory application date. Operator pre-registration had not commenced by the time these specifications were released.

In January 2026, eight European associations representing the recycling, waste management, glass, copper, and plastics sectors — including FEAD, Recycling Europe, Plastics Europe, Glass for Europe, and the International Copper Association Europe — wrote jointly to EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall. The letter requested a coordinated transition period of at least one year following the mandatory start date of 21 May 2026, to allow businesses and authorities sufficient time to adapt internal processes, train staff, and integrate systems.

The associations also called for the repeal of the two-day advance Annex VII submission requirement, arguing that real-time digital tracking through DIWASS renders advance notification redundant and creates unnecessary operational constraints. They further requested flexibility on estimated quantities prior to departure, with final quantities to be confirmed upon receipt.

As of the date of this publication, the Commission has not confirmed a postponement. The 21 May 2026 mandatory date remains in effect.

Compliance Implications for Operators​

Operators involved in intra-EU transboundary waste shipments should assess their compliance posture across several dimensions:

Registration. Verify whether operator sites are registered or pre-registered in DIWASS, and contact the relevant national competent authority to initiate registration where this has not occurred.

Access pathway. Confirm with the competent authority in your jurisdiction whether you are required to use the DIWASS GUI directly, a national system, or whether commercial software is permitted. In some Member States, hybrid requirements may apply.

Software and IT systems. If using commercial software for shipment documentation, confirm that the provider has implemented DIWASS API interconnection in compliance with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1290.

Procedural workflows. Review and update internal procedures to reflect the digital workflows required under DIWASS, including the creation and submission timelines for both notification documents and Annex VII documentation.

Staff training. Ensure that relevant staff are familiar with the DIWASS interface and electronic waste shipment notification and documentation requirements before the mandatory date.

Ongoing shipments under existing consents. Operators holding consents granted under Regulation (EC) 1013/2006 should confirm the applicable transition provisions with their competent authority to determine which regulatory framework governs the completion of those shipments.

Key References​

  • European Commission — DIWASS implementation page: environment.ec.europa.eu
  • DIWASS API technical documentation (published January 2026, updated February 2026)

Legislative References​

[1] Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 of the European Parliament and of the Council on shipments of waste

[2] Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1290 establishing technical and operational requirements for the Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS)

European Shipment Review monitors regulatory developments related to EU transboundary shipment compliance. This guide reflects the regulatory position as of March 2026. Operators should consult their national competent authority for jurisdiction-specific access and registration requirements.