The digitalisation of cross-border waste shipments is now a reality across Europe. One month after DIWASS went live for waste subject to prior notification, the sector is still adapting to a change that promises to simplify processes, but which continues to raise numerous questions among operators and waste managers.
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21 May 2026 marked a milestone for waste management in the European Union. On that date, it became mandatory to use the Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS) to electronically manage cross-border waste shipments subject to the prior notification procedure, in accordance with the new European Waste Shipment Regulation.
Developed by the European Commission, the platform aims to progressively replace paper-based documentation and deliver a more efficient, transparent and traceable system for managing waste moving between Member States.
However, one month after its launch, caution remains the prevailing sentiment among many operators.
“Uncertainty remains the main theme. We continue to receive daily enquiries about how the platform works, how to register, and how to comply correctly with the requirements. There are concerns both about the administrative burden and the risk of failing to comply with the legislation,” explains Estrella Moreira, Product Director at TEIMAS, a software company specialising in waste management and compliance.
The relative calm of these first few weeks has an explanation. At present, DIWASS only applies to waste subject to prior notification, which represents a relatively small proportion of all international waste shipments.
This means that many companies have not yet had to incorporate the platform into their day-to-day operations. As a result, the real challenge will emerge over the coming months.
The European Commission confirmed in spring a transitional period for shipments covered by Annex VII, which may continue to be managed using paper documentation until the end of 2026. This measure was welcomed by numerous industry organisations that had requested additional time to adapt.
According to TEIMAS specialists, it is as this deadline approaches that pressure is expected to increase:
“The majority of companies have not yet faced the day-to-day use of DIWASS. As the end of the Annex VII transitional period draws closer, we expect to see more enquiries, greater training needs and, above all, more real-life use cases.”
Unlike what typically happens with more established systems, the questions currently being raised are less about specific errors and more about the platform’s overall operation.
How do you register? What information is mandatory? How are sites and facilities organised? What differences exist between countries?
These are some of the most frequently asked questions.
One aspect that has created a degree of complexity is the need to adapt national administrative structures to a common tool used across the European Union.
“It is entirely normal for questions to arise when a European tool has to be adapted to different administrative realities in each Member State,” they point out.
Despite current concerns, experts believe that Spain is approaching this transition from a relatively favourable position compared with other European countries. For many Spanish operators, the digitalisation of waste control is nothing new.
Over recent years, several autonomous communities have developed their own platforms and, since 2021, the national e-SIR system has helped consolidate the electronic management of waste shipments.
“Many operators are already accustomed to working with digital platforms, automated validations and online procedures. This makes the move to DIWASS more manageable than in countries where documentation was still handled primarily on paper.”
This previous experience could become a competitive advantage during the transition to the new European framework.
Although the implementation of DIWASS introduces new procedures and requires an initial adaptation effort, TEIMAS believes that digitalisation is an irreversible trend and, in the long term, beneficial for the entire waste management ecosystem.
Immediate access to information, reduced reliance on physical documentation, improved traceability and a greater ability to detect inconsistencies or irregular activities are among the most significant benefits.
In addition, digitalisation makes it easier to ensure that all operators involved in a shipment are properly identified and authorised, strengthening transparency and helping to combat non-compliant practices.
“Digitalisation helps professionalise the sector. It builds trust, improves the competitiveness of companies that comply with the legislation, and enables better environmental oversight of waste.”
DIWASS’s first month in operation confirms that the sector is moving towards European-wide digitalisation, but it is still in the early stages of the learning curve.
The platform is already operational and affected companies have begun to familiarise themselves with it. However, the real test will come when its use becomes widespread and shipments currently covered by the transitional period must also be managed electronically.
Until then, information, training and support will remain key factors in ensuring a smooth transition towards the new digital model for waste shipments across Europe.
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