TECH-FAB Europe joins the European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA) and its members in welcoming EuCIA the European Commission’s proposed amendments to the Waste Shipments Regulation, and in particular, the green-listing of composites waste shipments between Member States for the purpose of recovery. This move would enable larger-scale collection and recycling operations that are essential to achieving commercial viability for composites circularity.

The draft delegated act proposes the inclusion of non-hazardous fibre-reinforced polymer composites waste under the new Annex IIIB entry BEU06 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 on shipments of waste.

EuCIA has long advocated for dedicated waste codes for composite materials, alongside partners across the European composites value chain. The proposed BEU06 entry responds to this longstanding recommendation and also directly supports the objectives pursued through the EuCIA-led voluntary initiative, the European Circular Composites Alliance (ECCA).

“By reducing administrative barriers and enabling qualifying waste streams to be pooled across borders, BEU06 would help achieve the volumes and economies of scale needed to make recycling commercially viable,” states Raphaël Pleynet, EuCIA’s Managing Director and Secretary General of TECH-FAB Europe. “It would support investment in collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure and help retain valuable materials within the European economy.”

Addressing barriers to composites circularity

Advancing composites circularity is a core priority for EuCIA. In 2025, EuCIA launched the ECCA, which now unites more than 200 stakeholders across the value chain to address barriers to circularity and accelerate the development of viable solutions for end-of-life composite materials.

Barriers to moving composites waste across borders are among the obstacles we have identified. Waste streams are geographically dispersed and specialised recycling facilities are not available in every Member State. Clear and proportionate shipment rules are therefore essential to connect these materials with appropriate treatment capacity and recover their value.

EuCIA supports applying the general information requirements of Article 18 of the Waste Shipment Regulation to qualifying of the Waste Shipments Regulation to qualifying ‘green-listed’ shipments, while maintaining traceability and environmental safeguards. We encourage the Commission to retain this provision in the final act and ensure consistent implementation throughout the EU. Requirements should remain clear and proportionate, particularly for SMEs, avoiding divergent national interpretations that undermine the intended simplification.

EuCIA’s recommendations

As a minor clarification, EuCIA suggests broadening the illustrative reference to reinforcement fibres to read “such as glass fibres, carbon fibres, aramid fibres and natural fibres,” while retaining the requirement that the composites waste be non-hazardous. This would better reflect the range of reinforcements used by the composites industry to balance properties and cost.

EuCIA also encourages a technology-neutral approach supporting suitable recycling pathways, including mechanical, chemical and thermal processes, and recognition of the recycling contribution of the mineral fraction in cement co-processing, in accordance with the waste hierarchy and environmental requirements.

Further progress through the Circular Economy Act and related legislation should stimulate demand for recycled materials, strengthen traceability and provide greater clarity on end-of-waste criteria. In parallel, continued work towards alignment under the Basel Convention would support a more consistent international framework for composites waste shipments.

Building a viable circular economy for composites

EuCIA strongly supports the adoption of BEU06 as a practical step towards overcoming a recognised barrier to composites circularity. Through ECCA and our wider industry partnerships, we stand ready to contribute technical expertise and support implementation, helping build a viable European circular economy for composites.

TECH-FAB Europe is a member of both EuCIA and ECCA.