EU Waste Management Still Falling Short: What the European Court of Auditors Reveals — and Why Action Is Becoming Urgent
On 26 November, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) published a sobering report on the state of municipal waste management in the European Union. The findings confirm what many in the waste and recycling sector already suspected: progress on waste prevention, reuse and recycling remains too slow, and many Member States still struggle to meet EU waste targets.
With the EU’s circular economy ambitions becoming more ambitious through the Waste Framework Directive, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the upcoming Circular Economy Act, the report arrives at a crucial moment. It underscores the need for better implementation, stronger enforcement, and more effective support mechanisms to ensure that every Member State can comply with EU law.
Uneven Progress and Persistent Gaps
According to the auditors, progress in municipal waste management varies dramatically across Europe. While a few countries have advanced steadily, others have shown little or almost no improvement, continuing to rely heavily on landfill and underperform on reuse and recycling. These disparities undermine the EU’s overall progress towards its circularity targets.
The report identifies several key obstacles:
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Financial constraints that limit investments in modern waste infrastructure.
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Weaknesses in planning and implementation, particularly at regional and local levels.
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Insufficient separate collection, which remains inadequate in many Member States and directly impacts recycling quality.
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A slow pace of enforcement, with the European Commission reluctant to launch timely infringement procedures when countries miss established targets.
Risks Growing for Europe’s Recycling Industry
Beyond compliance issues, the auditors warn of challenges affecting the recycling industry itself. Rising operational costs, weak and inconsistent demand for secondary raw materials, and growing competition from cheaper imported productsincrease the pressure on recyclers. These structural barriers threaten the viability and scalability of recycling in the EU — a pillar of the circular economy.
The ECA recommends measures to stabilise and strengthen recycling markets, including
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creating reliable demand for secondary materials,
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considering harmonised landfill and incineration taxes, and
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tackling barriers on both the supply and demand sides of recycling markets.
These recommendations closely mirror EXPRA’s long-standing positions on the enforcement of the Waste Framework Directive, the PPWR and the future Circular Economy Act.
A Call for Stronger Enforcement and Coordinated Action
The report highlights a fundamental issue: the EU’s ambitious legislative goals cannot be achieved without robust and consistent implementation across all Member States. Stronger enforcement — including accelerated infringement actions when countries fail to meet recycling and waste targets — is essential.
This means not only improving national waste management systems but also ensuring that packaging waste is properly collected, sorted and recycled across the continent.
EXPRA’s Role Moving Forward
With more than 30 years of combined experience across its members, EXPRA will continue to support the transition towards a truly functioning circular economy by:
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supporting Member States in addressing the implementation gaps identified, and
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advocating for strong, enforceable rules that create a fair, sustainable and effective waste management system across Europe.
As the EU refines its circular economy framework, the ECA’s findings serve as a timely reminder: meaningful progress requires not only ambitious legislation but also real commitment, practical support and strong enforcement.