Strengthening Waste Management and Extended Producer Responsibility in the Western Balkans
Aligning with EU Standards through the Common Regional Market (CRM 2.0)
The Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum (WB6 CIF), together with national chambers of commerce from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, has jointly presented the Policy Brief on Strengthening Waste Management and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in the Western Balkans.
Developed with expert support and the backing of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), this policy document highlights the urgent need for regional harmonisation of EPR systems covering packaging, textiles and metal waste streams, in line with the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the Waste Framework Directive (WFD).
The brief underlines that aligning EPR implementation within the Common Regional Market (CRM 2.0) framework will reduce compliance costs, improve competitiveness, and create economies of scale through shared infrastructure, harmonised legislation and digitalised producer registries.
Key recommendations include:
- Coordinated deposit-return systems for beverage packaging across the WB6.
- Establishment of a regional digital producer register under CRM/CEFTA.
- Development of regional recycling value chains and cross-border recognition mechanisms for waste shipments.
- Strengthening governance through a regional clearinghouse and EPR coordination platform.
By embedding EPR into the CRM framework, the Western Balkans can move from fragmented systems toward an integrated regional model, fostering sustainable growth and accelerating convergence with the EU Single Market.
