Waste or resources? Customs perspective

Monika Bielskienė
Monika Bielskienė
Attorney at Law, Senior Manager at PwC Lithuania, and Candidate PhD at Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
Published 25 Feb 2026

This presentation examines how the circular economy is reshaping traditional customs concepts, and is directly relevant to customs and trade compliance professionals dealing with waste, scrap, and used goods.

Topics covered:

  • Customs valuation of waste and resources, including the CJEU's "real economic value" doctrine and how it applies differently from the seller's and buyer's perspectives
  • The Lifosa case, illustrating how a shipment of waste can have a negative customs value
  • The EU's 2024 regulation on shipments of waste and the conditions for exporting waste to third countries (technical feasibility, waste hierarchy, proximity, local legislation)
  • A practical Lithuanian case on export control of used vehicle parts and the classification challenges under the Combined Nomenclature (CN)
  • Rules of origin for waste and scrap, including eligibility for free trade agreement benefits under agreements such as the USMCA and the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement
  • Competing legal definitions of "waste" and their practical consequences for customs treatment

For a broader overview of the topic, please watch the full recording. The slides are available in the Resources section.

Please note that this summary was generated using AI, based on the recording and available slides.