New rules for waste transport from May 2026: DIWASS, Annex VII and digital notifications
The DIWASS system in 2026 is one of the biggest changes in waste transport documentation in the EU in years. From 21 May 2026, it will become the mandatory channel for electronic information exchange for shipments within the EU. It will cover both the notification procedure for hazardous waste and Annex VII for those on the so-called „green list”. In this article, you will find everything you need to know about the changes that will come into force in the middle of next year. See what you need to do to be ready for the coming months.
Do not let formalities block your orders. Secure your waste permits now.
In 2026, carriers will begin operating under a more structured and verifiable model. Customers will be able to filter out companies without the full set of authorisations more quickly. If you lack a permit or registration, you may be out of the game just when better rates become available. Would you like to have this matter settled in advance? Contact with us – we will guide you through the process of obtaining the relevant permits for waste transport:
e.nadolna@ekologistyka24.pl , +48 881 045 376
j.blazewicz@ekologistyka24.pl , +48 500 867 153
DIWASS – what does this acronym mean and what is the purpose of establishing this system?
DIWASS stands for Digital Waste Shipment System, which is a digital system for handling documents and data relating to waste shipments within the EU. In practice, it is a centralised system operated by the European Commission and a hub (data exchange node) that will connect national and commercial tools to the central system.
The most important change is strategic: the EU is moving from a flawed and abuse-prone „paper” model to a model where data is created digitally and authorities can see the process in real time. The Commission explicitly states that digitisation is intended to facilitate legal shipments between countries, while maintaining an appropriate level of monitoring.
DIWASS is based on the obligation to exchange information and documents electronically, as stipulated in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 (new regulation on waste shipment). The basis for this is Article 27, which requires certain information and documents to be handled electronically, either through a central system or through interoperable systems/software.
In the aforementioned chapter, paragraph 4 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157, we read:
Member States may use their own available systems or software to prepare and process the information and documents referred to in paragraph 1 by the competent authorities, inspection bodies and, where applicable, economic operators in the Member States for the electronic transmission and exchange of the information and documents referred to in paragraph 1. Member States shall ensure that these systems and software are interoperable with the central system.,
referred to in paragraph 3, their functioning in accordance with the requirements and rules laid down in the implementing acts adopted by the Commission pursuant to paragraph 5, and shall ensure that those systems and software enable the exchange of information and documents through the central repository of the system in real time.
An important detail that many companies forget: DIWASS is designed to support three components of the process:
DIWASS did not appear out of nowhere – what were its beginnings?
DIWASS is like e-CMR: everyone knows it will be introduced, but only part of the market is preparing its processes and systems. Meanwhile, the timeline is already quite clear.
MAY 2024 | Partial entry into force of the new Waste Shipment Regulation (EU) 2024/1157. The implementation of individual provisions is phased. |
2 JULY 2025 | The Commission has adopted a key implementing act concerning DIWASS, which has been published in the Official Journal as Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1290. It is a document that translates the general obligation of digitisation into rules for the operation of systems and integration. |
JANUARY 2026 | It is expected to result in the publication of technical documentation for integration via API. This is a signal to software providers and larger operators: integrations must be planned in advance, because otherwise you end up having to put out fires. |
AFTER 3 FEBRUARY 2026 | The Commission has announced that it will publish a summary of how individual countries will require access to DIWASS (GUI vs. national system vs. hybrid). For companies operating internationally, this will be critical operational information. |
SPRING 2026 | According to practical communications from national authorities, waste organisations are to be granted access to DIWASS on the basis of a procedure to be specified by the Commission. |
21 May 2026 | DIWASS becomes mandatory for intra-EU shipments of waste, both in the notification procedure and for shipments from the so-called „green list”. |
Who will cover DIWASS in 2026 and what it means in practice
DIWASS will cover supervisory authorities and economic operators involved in waste shipments within the EU. In practice, this will affect both companies sending and organising shipments, as well as recipients and recovery/disposal facilities, as the system is designed to handle the entire flow of information and decisions.
The access model will not be uniform across all countries. The authorities are to indicate whether operators registered in a given jurisdiction use the Commission's interface (GUI) or a local system integrated with DIWASS, and sometimes a mixed model. This is particularly important for companies that operate in several countries, as they may be forced to navigate two or more different environments in operational terms.
The system itself will also feature an approach familiar from administrative platforms (e.g. in our native BDO): the first authorised user representing the operator may act as the superuser (main user). This is an organisational detail, but in practice it determines who manages permissions and responsibilities within the company.
Article 6(2) of the aforementioned Implementing Regulation states:
Access to data and information in the central system is only possible if the user
represents entities or bodies. Each user:
a) may represent at least one entity;
(b) may represent one competent authority;
(c) may represent a single inspection body;
(d) may represent the competent authority and the inspecting authority;
e) may not represent any authority if he or she represents an entity.
The Commission points to the possibility of voluntary access for authorities and operators from third countries. This functionality will be important in relations with partners outside the EU when processes require electronic data exchange.
What you will be able to do at DIWASS in 2026
What processes is DIWASS intended to handle?
From a business user's perspective, DIWASS is intended to be a single location where:
The system is also intended to organise an area that is often overlooked in descriptions: information and decisions concerning recovery facilities that have been granted preliminary approval. This effectively shortens the paths for repeatable waste streams to installations with a specific status.
Notification procedure – process map
1. Registration of operator and users in DIWASS (with the participation of the competent authority). In practice, the role of the main user emerges, who then „brings together” the team and authorisations.
2. Creating a notification and data entry: process parties, installations, waste codes, routes, attachments. In the background, DIWASS manages data flow in a cross-border regime.
3. Submission of the application and electronic circulation between authorities (country of dispatch, transit, destination).
4. Decisions of authorities (consent to relocation, objection under specific conditions). At DIWASS, you receive them in the system instead of keeping track of documents or emails.
5. Generating and completing a transfer document and handling of transport operations within the framework of notifications.
6. Confirmations and closing the cycle on the installation side (receipt, processing), in accordance with the digital information exchange path.
Strong practical opinion: Companies that send a lot of notifications should plan for integration via API or organise their work in the GUI. Otherwise, operating costs will eat into the benefits of digitisation.
Transport of waste from the so-called „green list” via the DIWASS system in 2026
1. Creation of an electronic Annex VII (instead of a paper template as the primary medium).
2. Document and data exchange between entities (shipper/recipient/installation) and the availability of data to authorities and inspections.
3. Confirmation of acceptance by the installation and event handling (e.g. updates, confirmations, possible return/take-back procedures in the system logic).
Here, DIWASS has one overriding objective: eliminate the grey market.
Before you decide: find out the cost and time required to obtain a permit
Write down in which countries you want to carry out transport and what types of waste you plan to handle. You will receive clear information about what is required and how long the procedure will take. and what resources you will need to allocate to it. Write or call:
e.nadolna@ekologistyka24.pl , +48 881 045 376
j.blazewicz@ekologistyka24.pl , +48 500 867 153
Technical access: GUI, local system, API – and why testing matters
DIWASS provides access to:
- via GUI (a dedicated website under the supervision of the European Commission),
- by the Member State's local system, integrated with DIWASS,
- and in certain models via API (for system and software integration).
Importantly, the implementing act referred to in this article provides for tests for authorities that wish to operate via API with their own local system. The tests must be completed by 25 working days before the planned launch of such access. Until the tests are completed, users may be redirected to the GUI. This is a practical „safety net” mechanism for implementation.
Additionally, there is a theme of environment eFTI. The regulation provides for interoperability and the possibility of using the eFTI environment in the context of transport information, and the implementing act also describes the model of inspection systems linked by API (including eFTI Gate). This will be important for control and enforcement of regulations en route.
What information should you prepare in advance?
DIWASS will not „invent data for you”. If data is scattered throughout the company, digitisation will only expose the chaos. The technical documentation shows that the system operates on, among other things:
- operator identifiers and registration and contact details,
- installation and status data,
- waste codes and quantitative parameters,
- attachments (indicating whether they contain personal data).
Imagine this situation. You receive an order from a customer to transport waste. However, you have to send them via DIWASS your permission to transport waste, but you cannot find it. The transport of such materials is often organised within a specific time frame, e.g. due to the working hours of the recycling plant. All this is done to ensure that production can continue uninterrupted. But if you do not deliver the documents on time, you will lose twice: the customer's respect and potentially a good freight rate. The worst thing is when it turns out that you do not have such a permit, and the customer has contracted you to perform the service. Fortunately, there are companies that can organise such permits quite quickly and efficiently.
Ekologistyka24 is certainly one such company, serving customers from all over Europe with over 10 years of experience. Do not wait, contact us today. Secure your future. Write to us at dispo@ekologistyka24.pl or call one of the following numbers: +48 55 618 03 45 or +48 881 045 376.
Or perhaps you are the one organising waste transport and are having trouble finding a reliable company to carry out the job for you? Instead of wasting time searching on exchanges or on the Internet, be sure to visit www.odpadytransport.pl, where nearly 1,000 companies from Poland and beyond have posted their profiles along with information about which countries they can transport waste to for you.
FAQ
It does not yet function as a widely available production system for all companies. The European Commission has finalised the implementation framework and interoperability, while the market is expected to enter the practical access and integration phase in 2026, before the obligation comes into force.
DIWASS will come into force on 21 May 2026. as the mandatory channel for electronic exchange of information and documents for waste shipments within the EU.
Yes. For the transport of waste from the EU's „green list”, DIWASS is transferring the handling of Annex VII to electronic circulation. In practice, paper will no longer be the basis of the process, and key data will be stored in the system.
No. DIWASS will cover both the notification procedure and the handling of shipments under Annex VII, as well as elements related to information on installations (e.g. pre-consented). It is a system for the entire document flow, not for a single path.
It will cover all participants in the process, because the documents and data concern the entire chain: from the entity organising the shipment, through the carrier, to the recipient and installation. The carrier does not usually submit notifications, but will operate in an environment where documents have a consistent digital flow and are easier to verify.
It depends on the role in a given operation and on the organisational practices of the contractors. However, carriers should assume that the market will expect them to be ready to operate in DIWASS-based processes and to have complete documentation of authorisations and compliance.
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