Free trade zones (FTZs) and trans-shipment operations are important tools for facilitating global trade and attracting investment. However, they may also pose challenges for the effective monitoring and enforcement of environmental regulations. This new information note, developed under the Green Customs Initiative, with contributions from the BRS Secretariat, explores the implications of FTZs and trans-shipment activities in the context of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). Drawing on inputs from multiple MEA Secretariats, the note highlights potential compliance risks and identifies mechanisms and good practices to mitigate them. It offers practical insights for customs authorities, enforcement agencies, and policymakers to enhance oversight and support the implementation of MEAs, including the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions.

Download
English:

National reports submitted in the framework of the Basel Convention suggest that nearly 180 million tonnes of hazardous and household wastes are generated annually around the world. According to the same reports, at least 9.3 million tonnes of these wastes move from country to country each year, and this waste is presumably received as a welcome source of business. This leaves some 170 millions tonnes of hazardous and household wastes that are assumed to be disposed of nationally in an environmentally sound manner. But is this the case?

Many countries complain that they are receiving shipments which they never agreed to or that they are unable to properly dispose of. From Brazil to Singapore, from Belgium to Ghana, or from Canada to Russia, it would be challenging to find a single country that has never suffered a case of illegal traffic of waste.

Download
Arabic:		French:
Chinese:		Russian:
English:		Spanish: