Devise actions to reduce waste in rural and coastal areas

ROADMAP PROGRESS

The 2025 GARI reports that some progress has been made but that the WB6 still need to adopt and implement major elements of the environmental acquis, including the Waste Framework Directive, the Landfill Directive, the Water Framework Directive, the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, the Industrial Emissions Directive and the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive. In Albania, draft laws on integrated waste management and on extended producer responsibility remain to be adopted, five of seven river basin management plans are implemented, and a reform of the waste management sector centralising collection and management was announced in 2025. Bosnia and Herzegovina made no progress, with a domestic waste management strategy and alignment with the EU plastics strategy and the Directive on single-use plastics still outstanding. In Kosovo*, the law on waste, the law on water and the approval of river basin management plans are pending. Montenegro adopted and began implementing waste management legislation and a climate change adaptation plan covering the period to 2035, while waste management plans at local level are still needed. North Macedonia adopted a law on industrial emissions, although circular economy activity remains low. Serbia adopted a waste prevention plan for the period 2025-2030, setting out measures on sustainable production and consumption, green product design, reduction of municipal and packaging waste, food waste reduction and food donation, product reuse and repair, and waste reduction from products containing critical raw materials.

Note: Action 48 of the first Green Agenda Action Plan (2021–2030) is not retained as a separate action in the Revised Action Plan (2025–2030). Its objectives related to improving waste management and reducing pollution in rural areas are addressed through broader actions under the Depollution and Circular Economy Pillars.