OpenLobby.EU
Explore

Municipal Waste Europe

MWE

Municipal Waste Europe represents public waste associations to promote sustainable waste management and resource efficiency.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Francois Wakenhut (Head of Unit Environment)

1 Dec 2025 · Exchange of views on the CEA

Meeting with Thomas Bajada (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Nov 2025 · Meeting on Circular Economy Act

Public waste operators demand producers cover full electronics recycling costs

6 Nov 2025
Topic — The consultation concerns the new Circular Economy Act and the WEEE Directive revision.
Message — The organization wants manufacturers to cover the full cost of electronics collection, including communication and theft prevention. They call for a ban on short-lived electronics with built-in batteries and the creation of a dedicated fire prevention fund. They also demand that public waste operators are included in the design of cost negotiations and management schemes.123
Why — This would shift the financial burden of theft, fire damage, and infrastructure from taxpayers to producers.45
Impact — Electronics manufacturers and retailers face significantly higher compliance costs, mandatory fees, and potential product bans.67
Read full response

Meeting with Rasmus Nordqvist (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Nov 2025 · Circular Economy Act

Meeting with Jessika Roswall (Commissioner) and

29 Oct 2025 · Roundtable- closing the Loop : Addressing the Plastic Recycling Crisis in Europe

Public waste managers urge tougher curbs on destroying clothes

18 Jul 2025
Topic — Rules setting out exceptions to the ban on destroying unsold apparel and footwear.
Message — MWE demands removing loopholes that allow brands to destroy goods for licensing or technical reasons. They also call for extending the ban to all consumer products including electronics.123
Why — Stricter bans would stop public waste facilities from having to process avoidable overproduction waste.4
Impact — Luxury fashion brands would no longer be allowed to destroy stock to protect exclusivity.56
Read full response

Municipal Waste Europe urges full transparency on destroyed unsold goods

10 Jul 2025
Topic — New EU rules requiring companies to disclose data on unsold consumer products they destroy.
Message — MWE calls for all disposal data to be public and easily accessible on company websites. They want detailed reporting on where products are sent and specific prevention measures implemented. They also demand the removal of 'Unknown' as a reporting option to ensure full traceability.12
Why — This improves the investment environment for recyclers by returning raw materials to EU producers.3
Impact — Companies lose the ability to obscure waste destinations by selecting 'Unknown' in reports.4
Read full response

Response to Towards a Circular, Regenerative and Competitive Bioeconomy

23 Jun 2025

The EU Bioeconomy Strategy plays a critical role by promoting the sustainable use of natural resources to deliver food, energy and materials while strengthening European competitiveness. However, the current state of the bioeconomy reveals significant challenges: climate change, resource depletion, improper waste management and unsustainable land management practices are threatening Europes ability to transition to a sustainable and CIRCULAR bioeconomy. In response to these challenges, the European Commission has proposed an update to the EU Bioeconomy Strategy as part of the EUs Clean Industrial Deal. Municipal Waste Europe (MWE) support this proposal, which represents an important step towards achieving a sustainable and circular bioeconomy in Europe. MWE's contribution focuses on a notable gap in the 2018 version of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy: the absence of actions to address the implementation of proper BIOWASTE MANAGEMENT AS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY. The full potential of biowaste to contribute to the EU circular economy is still untapped today. The 2025 update of the Bioeconomy Strategy needs to speed up the installation of infrastructure for proper separate collection and treatment capacity in the EU, to fully realise the potential of biowaste to serve as a critical feedstock for circular bioeconomy solutions. MWE's main recommendations for actions are (see full document attached): 1. Acknowledging the contribution of food waste prevention to the EU Circular Bioeconomy 2. Explicit recognition of the role of biowaste management in a successful EU Circular Bioeconomy and a dedicated chapter with concrete actions 3. Explicit recognition of the contribution of municipalities in biowaste management to the creation of jobs and wealth in the EU Circular Bioeconomy 4. Delivering the benefits of circular fertilisers for farming, climate mitigation, soil health and EU self-sufficiency 5. Delivering the benefits of bio-energy/bio-fuels and further bio-based products from biowaste management 6. Mobilising EU funds for investment in the implementation of biowaste management in all EU municipalities For non-expert readers, we recommend having a look at the annexes of the attached document, where an extensive explanatory can be found, primarily to address questions related to what biowaste actually is, what the benefits of treatment are for separately collected biowaste and what the negative impacts are when biowaste is mismanaged.
Read full response

Meeting with Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea (Director Environment) and Eurocities

20 May 2025 · Exchange of views on Circular Economy Act

Meeting with Jeannette Baljeu (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Mar 2025 · Circular Economy Act

Meeting with Luis Planas Herrera (Cabinet of Commissioner Jessika Roswall), Paulina Dejmek Hack (Cabinet of Commissioner Jessika Roswall)

10 Feb 2025 · Circular Economy and Waste Management

Meeting with Jeannette Baljeu (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

3 Oct 2024 · Waste Framework Directive

Meeting with Pernille Weiss-Ehler (Member of the European Parliament)

9 Dec 2023 · Proposal for a targeted revision of the Waste Framework Directive

Meeting with Heléne Fritzon (Member of the European Parliament) and Avfall Sverige

15 Nov 2023 · Seminarium om den nordiska biogasmodellen i samarbete med Avfall Sverige

Meeting with Róża Thun Und Hohenstein (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and European Branded Clothing Association

11 Oct 2023 · Waste Framework Directive revision

Meeting with Heléne Fritzon (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Avfall Sverige

10 Oct 2023 · Möte med Avfall Sverige och Municipal Waste Europe

Meeting with Pernille Weiss-Ehler (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

5 May 2023 · Waste Shipment Regulation

Municipal Waste Europe Urges Consistency in Waste Taxonomy

3 May 2023
Topic — EU initiative defining sustainable economic activities for water, circular economy, and biodiversity.
Message — MWE requests adding plastics and packaging to the source-segregated waste list. They advocate for removing restrictive rules on specific municipal collection methods. They also suggest clarifying all possible products from anaerobic digestion treatment.123
Why — This would prevent funding barriers and maintain flexibility for local waste management.4
Impact — Advocates of mixed waste sorting lose as contamination risks undermine recycling targets.5
Read full response

Municipal Waste Europe Demands Producers Pay Full Waste Collection Costs

31 Mar 2023
Topic — EU consultation on revising packaging rules to boost recycling and reduce waste.
Message — MWE requests that producers pay the full cost of collecting and treating waste. They propose creating a stakeholder forum to advise on technical recycling rules. They also seek flexibility to skip mandatory deposit systems where recycling is high.123
Why — This would protect local budgets by ensuring municipalities are fully reimbursed for services.4
Impact — Packaging producers would face higher costs to cover the complete treatment of their products.5
Read full response

Meeting with Delara Burkhardt (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and EuroCommerce and

28 Mar 2023 · Packaging Waste

Meeting with Florika Fink-Hooijer (Director-General Environment)

27 Feb 2023 · discussion on the EU waste-related legislation. MWE presented their position on the topic.

Meeting with Markus Pieper (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

7 Dec 2022 · RED IV

Meeting with Delara Burkhardt (Member of the European Parliament)

21 Nov 2022 · Circular Economy

Meeting with Alessandra Moretti (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

15 Nov 2022 · Framework for setting eco-design requirements for sustainable products

Meeting with Sara Matthieu (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Human Rights Watch and

12 May 2022 · Waste Shipment Regulation

Municipal Waste Europe demands mandatory repair services and spare parts

4 Apr 2022
Topic — This consultation explores ways to promote sustainable consumption through repair and reuse.
Message — MWE demands mandatory repair services, manuals, and affordable spare parts beyond the guarantee period. They advocate for an EU repair index and fixed deadlines for repairs. Furthermore, design practices that hamper repair should be banned and penalized.123
Why — Increasing repair rates would decrease the volume of items entering municipal waste systems.45
Impact — Manufacturers face higher costs and operational burdens from mandatory repair and spare part requirements.6
Read full response

Meeting with Florika Fink-Hooijer (Director-General Environment)

26 Mar 2021 · points of discussion: Waste management and its place within the Circular Economy Waste management and Climate Change Waste shipments

Response to Farm to Fork Strategy

16 Mar 2020

Our feedback on the Farm to Fork Strategy can be found in the MWE response attached herewith.
Read full response

Meeting with William Neale (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

10 May 2017 · Waste package

Meeting with Astrid Ladefoged (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

29 Nov 2016 · Waste

Meeting with Aurore Maillet (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

18 May 2016 · Circular Economy

Meeting with Grzegorz Radziejewski (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen)

13 May 2016 · Circular economy

Meeting with Daniel Calleja Crespo (Director-General Environment)

14 Sept 2015 · Presentation of MWE

Meeting with Sarah Nelen (Cabinet of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

25 Feb 2015 · Circular Economy

Meeting with Aurore Maillet (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella), Heidi Jern (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen)

24 Feb 2015 · Circular Economy

Meeting with Sarah Nelen (Cabinet of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

24 Feb 2015 · Circular Economy

Meeting with Aurore Maillet (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

30 Jan 2015 · Circular Economy