An agreement has been secured by Defra for 100% of the UK’s notified waste shipments to the EU to continue in the event of a no-deal scenario following 29 March, the department has announced.
Defra notified CIWM last Friday (1 March) that 100% of the UK (and Gibraltar’s) notified waste shipments to the EU can continue in the event of a no-deal scenario.
This follows confirmation from the Spanish Environment Ministry that existing approvals that permit the shipment of notified waste from the UK to Spain and from Gibraltar to Spain will remain valid should the UK leave the EU without an agreement in place.
This agreement to “roll-over” consents, in a no-deal scenario, will also apply to any approvals granted by the regional Spanish Competent Authorities before the 29 March.
Pat Jennings – “CIWM welcomes this news and Defra’s commitment and work to date to secure these agreements with other EU Member States to ensure clarity and continuity for waste exports in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.”
CIWM’s Head of Policy & Communications, Pat Jennings, said: “CIWM welcomes this news and Defra’s commitment and work to date to secure these agreements with other EU Member States to ensure clarity and continuity for waste exports in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.”
The announcement follows the publication by Defra of guidance outlining what UK waste importers and exporters must do to prepare for changes to rules around waste shipments if the UK leaves the EU with no deal on 29 March 2019.
The guide stipulated the UK government had then secured agreement that 98% of UK consents for shipments of notifiable waste that go beyond 29 March 2019 will be rolled over. It said the UK government was engaging with the Spanish government to resolve the “small number of approvals that remain outstanding”.