Shorouk Express
A new initiative designed to strengthen inter-regional co-operation against waste trafficking between the EU and ASEAN countries was signed in Bangkok by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The action, called WasteNet, underpins the implementation of the EU’s new Waste Shipments Regulation with a focus on four South East Asian countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, and also supports policy making and coordination at the ASEAN level. It will be a platform for collaboration between experts and stakeholders from both regions to advance circular economy practices as well as to combat illegal waste shipments.
“We are excited to join hands with UNODC to advance through WasteNet a circular economy in the EU and ASEAN, by promoting better aligned waste shipment policies and enforcement cooperation. This supports the growth of the recycling industry, while reducing pollution and illegal trafficking; helping stakeholders to adjust to the new EU Waste Shipments Regulation”, said Andreas Roettger, Head of Regional Team Asia/Pacific, European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments.
WasteNet follows previous efforts made under Unwaste, an EU funded project implemented by UNODC in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), under which major ground work was made in enhancing inter agency cooperation and coordination, identifying policy gaps, as well as mapping waste flows between the EU and Southeast Asia, and the role of organized crime, corruption and money laundering in illegal waste trafficking. Among others, these efforts also informed risk profiling, supported more than ten policy reforms and resulted in recommendations for an action plan for the ASEAN region.
“Waste trafficking is not only an environmental issue; it is a serious crime that undermines governance, legitimate trade and local communities. Through WasteNet, we will continue to strengthen cooperation and provide practical tools to address this challenge,” said Delphine Schantz, UNODC Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, at the signing ceremony.
WasteNet will serve as a collaborative platform to strengthen regional and national-level enforcement cooperation and capacity building, harmonize policies and procedures among Southeast Asia and the EU, and drive innovation through digital solutions for the monitoring of waste trade.
Through the new initiative, future waste shipments, enforcement procedures and recycling standards between the two regions will be aligned. The project will develop practical tools and training to support authorities in preventing and detecting illegal waste shipments and address the risk that these illegal activities pose to the circular economy. These risks include harm to the credibility of legitimate business, causing severe disruptions to legal trade flows, and preventing recycled materials from re-entering the production system.
Over the next 3 years, WasteNet is designed to ensure continued coordinated action against waste trafficking while promoting transparency of legal waste shipments and sustainability.
