Indonesia Delegation Meets with EU to Discuss Waste Export Regulations

INTI,- The productivity of Indonesia’s pulp and paper industry is increasing as demand grows domestically and for export. To ensure this continues, policies are needed that maintain a supply of raw materials for the industry. One such raw material is waste paper, or recycling. The European Union (EU) is a major supplier of this material, and as yet it has not been matched domestically, in either quality or quantity.

This is in part due to the EU’s new regulation, the European Union Waste Shipment Regulation (EUWSR), which imposes restrictions on non-B3 waste exports, including waste paper. Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry’s Directorate General of Agro Industries has met with likeminded countries, the EU Commission and the EU Parliament to address these issues. The Indonesian delegation includes representatives from the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Trade, the Indonesian Embassy in Brussels and the Indonesian Pulp and Paper Association (APKI).

The aim of the meetings with likeminded countries is to increase awareness of the impact of the EU’s waste shipment regulations among waste importers, including Turkey, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Egypt, and to devise a strategy to reduce this impact. Most of the likeminded countries are not yet aware of the latest proposal, with the exception of Turkey, which has made an official response to the notification of the EUWSR via the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The Indonesian government will prepare a position paper, which will then be discussed with the likeminded countries before being submitted to the EU. The EU Directorate General of the Environment's Director of Circular Economy, stated that the EUWSR regulation is intended to ensure that waste exported from the EU to other countries is managed correctly, including the processing of impurities (e.g. plastic in waste paper) and is not intended to restrict trade.

Indonesia emphasized that non-B3 waste, such as waste paper, should only be imported as raw materials for industry and plays a critical role in Indonesia's economy, particularly in improving the implementation of the circular economy. The complex and strict import procedures for non-B3 waste were explained, making Indonesia eligible for the List.

The Indonesian delegation also requested clarification on some of the provisions of the EUWSR proposal. The EU believes that Indonesia is a trusted partner and is open to further communication, especially regarding the implementation of EUWSR, such as the mechanisms for inclusion on the List.

With regard to the meeting with the EU Parliament, the EU Parliament stated that the priority for implementing EUWSR is the domestic market to develop the circular economy. Furthermore, the EU Parliament stated that there will be no derivative regulations for implementation. Indonesia suggested that EU regulations should not affect bilateral relations between the two countries and requested the preparation of guidelines for EUWSR implementation.

The Indonesian delegation also met with the European Union Recycle Industry Confederation (EURIC), which is ready to support Indonesia to continue importing waste paper as an industrial raw material. Most EU members support the EUWSR based on two considerations: protecting recycling industries in Europe and the fact that EU industries have not yet been able to absorb waste paper, which is feared to have an impact on the environment in Europe.

Therefore, Indonesia has asked EURIC to consolidate the recycling industry in Europe to coordinate with member state governments of the European Union to express their opinions through the European Council, including the exception of waste paper from the category of waste, as stated by France, Italy, and Spain.

The delegation also visited Peute Recycling in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, where they had the opportunity to see the process of collecting waste paper, particularly for sorting and recycling. ***. Hans