Liability for errors in DIWASS – the carrier, the freight forwarder or the consignor?
In the cross-border shipment of waste, disputes over liability have so far been resolved on the basis of paper documents, where it has often been difficult to establish the source of an error as a matter of evidence. Digitalisation is fundamentally changing this: every operation in the system has an author, a timestamp and a full audit trail, and the supervisory authorities can monitor the progress of the shipment in real time. Liability under DIWASS therefore requires a precise allocation of roles even before the shipment begins. Below, we analyse how this liability is distributed between the consignor, the broker and the carrier.
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Why does the issue of liability at DIWASS raise so many questions?
Under the paper-based system, many inaccuracies „got lost” in the flow of documents. Things are different now. DIWASS creates a complete electronic audit trail, and every notification, confirmation and decision is retained in the system. What is more, monitoring is no longer carried out retrospectively – transport is supervised in real time.
In practice, this means that A mistake by a single participant can jeopardise the entire journey. If, for example, a single entity is not correctly recorded in the system, the authority may question the legality of the entire operation. It is also worth bearing in mind that the illegal movement of waste is often purely a technical matter – even when the physical transport has been carried out correctly.
Podział odpowiedzialności – kto jakie ma obowiązki?
Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 assigns responsibilities according to the participants„ roles, rather than according to who actually ”clicks’ within the system. In other words, entrusting the handling of DIWASS to a broker does not relieve the organiser of the movement of their responsibility.
| Role | Main responsibilities at DIWASS | Typical liability |
|---|---|---|
| Consignor / organiser of the movement | Registration, notification (or Annex VII), dbanie o poprawność danych o odpadzie i odbiorcy, zawarcie umowy z odbiorcą | Za legalność całego przemieszczenia, prawidłową klasyfikacja odpadu, kompletność zgłoszenia |
| Broker / trader | Registering with the system, correctly assigning one’s own role, and providing accurate data to the parties | Incorrect assignment of a role; facilitating a transfer without the required documents |
| Carrier | Account registration, route compliance with the declaration, availability of documents during inspections, confirmations in the system | Za transport bez ważnego zgłoszenia, za niezgodność przewozu z danymi w DIWASS |
| Recipient / installation | Confirmation of receipt and processing of waste within the system | Failure to provide or delay in providing confirmations; acceptance of waste that does not comply with the declaration |
The supervisory authorities (GIOŚ, WIOŚ, ITD, KAS) may summon every It is up to the person involved in the movement to prove that the transport is lawful. The burden of proof therefore shifts to the operators.
The most common errors in DIWASS – real-life examples
Experts point to several recurring scenarios that lead to sanctions or the detention of shipments:
What penalties are there for making mistakes?
The financial consequences are very real. Even now, a carrier transporting waste without the required documentation risks a fine of 10,000 zł. Furthermore, the draft of the new Polish Act raises the lower limit for fines for illegal shipments: to 50,000 zł for waste subject to notification and at least 30,000 zł for green-list waste. The upper limit remains at 1 million zł. Furthermore, the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (GIOŚ) will gain the right of recourse – it will be able to claim the costs of managing illegal waste from the responsible party.
How can you minimise the risk? A quick checklist
Shared responsibility, but not blurred
Pamiętaj, że odpowiedzialność w DIWASS nie zmienia fundamentalnych zasad rozporządzeń Unijnych: każdy uczestnik odpowiada w granicach swojej roli. Nadawca za legalność przemieszczenia i klasyfikację odpadu, broker za rzetelność pośrednictwa i prawidłowe oznaczenie własnej funkcji, przewoźnik za zgodność realizacji przewozu ze zgłoszeniem. Nowością jest natomiast pełna transparentność tego podziału – uchybienie jednego podmiotu staje się natychmiast widoczne i może skutkować zakwestionowaniem całej operacji. Precyzyjne przypisanie ról w umowach oraz procedury weryfikacji danych przed zgłoszeniem przestają być dobrą praktyką, a stają się warunkiem bezpieczeństwa prawnego wszystkich stron.
Author: Jakub Koszyński | Editorial: Pawel Makowski
