The Romanian Border Police carries out joint actions with the competent national authorities, by providing operational support, in order to prevent and combat criminal phenomena related to waste management in the area of responsibility.
In 2021 (11 months), more than 224 cases of illegal waste shipments from European countries were identified (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Norway, Portugal, the Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, etc.). ), but also from Asia (China, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Israel, Japan) and North America (USA, Canada).
Following the verifications carried out by the competent authorities (National Environmental Guard, General Directorate of Customs, etc.), it was established that the goods, in a total quantity of over 14,000 tons, were waste, did not correspond to the data declared and included in the documents submitted to the authority, respectively did not meet the legal entry requirements from the point of view of environmental legislation.
Subsequently, the waste, consisting of metal and paper, aluminum, textiles, rubber, wood, batteries and pieces of asbestos, glass, ferrous material, obsolete vehicle components, household appliances, electrical and electronic equipment, etc. was returned to the territory of the neighboring state (at the land border), respectively to the exporting companies (at the maritime border), because they cannot be put into circulation on the Romanian territory.
Also, during the analyzed period, at the level of the border police structures, 22 criminal cases were drawn up, under the aspect of committing the following acts :
- the introduction into the country of waste for the purpose of disposal and / or non-use for the purpose for which it was introduced - Law 211/2011 on the waste regime, as follows:
- the use, at the customs authority, of the transport or commercial customs documents that refer to other goods or goods or to other quantities of goods or goods than those presented in customs - Law no. 86/2006 on the Romanian Customs Code.
The situation on the borders, in 2021, is as follows:
- Most events were recorded on the border with Bulgaria - in the area of competence of the T.I.B.P. Giurgiu, being registered 94 cases with approximately 5,975 tons of such waste. In terms of crossing points, the most used was B.C.P. Giurgiu, but also B.C.P. Calarasi, B.C.P. Turnu Măgurele, B.C.P. Calafat, B.C.P. Bechet and B.C.P. Zimnicea.
- At the Coast Guard - where approximately 35 cases were registered, the border police together with the competent authorities from Constanţa County discovered a total of over 6,960 tons of waste. These were found in the Port of Constanţa (in a containerized system), but also in the B.C.P. Vama Veche, respectively B.C.P. Negru Vodă.
- On the border with Hungary - T.I.B.P. Oradea - 65 cases where over 850 tons of waste were discovered stopped at the entrance to Romania, in B.C.P. Borş, B.C.P. Nadlac, and B.C.P. Vărşand .
- I.B.P. Sighetu Marmatiei, B.C.P. Petea - 29 cases with over 280 tons of waste that were not allowed to enter the country.
Background information
According to H.G. 1005/2012 on the organization and functioning of the National Environmental Guard, the competent authority for waste management at national level is the National Environmental Guard, an institution subordinated to the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests.
At the border crossing points, for the goods of this type that meet the conditions of entry into the country, the customs authorities carry out the customs clearance operations, respectively the control of the legality of the import. At the same time, according to the legislation in force, the import of waste is done on the basis of the import license, which is issued only with the consent of the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests and the Ministry of Health. Thus, the entry into the country of the means of transport, loaded with such goods, is allowed by the customs authorities, only if they are presented with the import license with the written consent of the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Health.
