EU32025R2181Enacted

COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2025/2181 of 29 October 2025 amending Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 as regards requirements for the import of used cooking oil THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Jurisdiction:
European Union
Type:
Other · Incentives
Last action:
Jan 1, 2025
Used OilBiobased
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Next deadline: Nov 19, 2027

Applies toImporters of used cooking oil from third countries into the EU; operators of approved or registered establishments/plants in third countries exporting used cooking oil to the EU

Obligations under this law
  • ·Used cooking oil must originate from an approved or registered establishment or plant in a third country
  • ·Unless moved by a closed conveyer system (authorised by the competent authority and which may not be by-passed), consignments must be transported and monitored in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1666 from the border control post to the plant of destination
  • ·Plant of destination must be: (i) approved for processing into biodiesel or renewable fuels (Article 24(1)(a) of Reg. 1069/2009), or (ii) approved for handling used cooking oil (Article 24(1)(h)), or (iii) approved for storage of used cooking oil (Article 24(1)(i)), or (iv) registered for oleochemical activities (Article 23(1)(a))
European Commission — Environment (Circular Economy) →

No designated program action is recorded for this measure yet — treat the above as the general obligation and verify against the source text.

Regulation amending import requirements for used cooking oil—a waste-derived biofuel feedstock—advances circular economy by facilitating recovery and reuse of used cooking oil as a renewable energy/chemical input, supporting the biological cycle and waste valorization.
Covered Products
  • ·Used cooking oil: oil fraction of catering waste Category 3 material containing or consisting of materials of animal origin (Article 10(p) of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009), imported into or transiting through the EU
Producer Obligations
  • ·Used cooking oil must originate from an approved or registered establishment or plant in a third country
  • ·Unless moved by a closed conveyer system (authorised by the competent authority and which may not be by-passed), consignments must be transported and monitored in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1666 from the border control post to the plant of destination
  • ·Plant of destination must be: (i) approved for processing into biodiesel or renewable fuels (Article 24(1)(a) of Reg. 1069/2009), or (ii) approved for handling used cooking oil (Article 24(1)(h)), or (iii) approved for storage of used cooking oil (Article 24(1)(i)), or (iv) registered for oleochemical activities (Article 23(1)(a))
  • ·Used cooking oil must be filtered before shipment or have undergone physical separation from non-oil elements (including water and solid particles >6 mm) to reach a combined moisture and solid particles content of not more than 10% w/w at the time of dispatch
  • ·At the time of official controls at the border control post, each consignment must be accompanied by a declaration of the importer drawn up in accordance with the Model declaration in Annex XV, Chapter 22, in at least one official language of the Member State where the border control post is located and at least one official language of the Member State of destination
  • ·Consignments are subject to official controls at border control posts of entry into the EU as laid down in Article 49(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625
  • ·Where used cooking oil is heated or melted in an approved plant carrying out intermediate activities, or temporarily stored in an approved intermediate storage plant before being consigned to the final destination, the transport monitoring conditions of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1666 continue to apply (unless moved by a closed conveyer system)
Exemptions
  • ·Used cooking oil moved by a closed conveyer system that may not be by-passed and has been authorised by the competent authority is exempt from the transport monitoring requirements of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1666
  • ·Used cooking oil not containing or not consisting of materials of animal origin does not fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 and therefore is not subject to these import requirements
  • ·Used cooking oil that is catering waste originating from means of transport operating internationally is not Category 3 material and is subject to different rules
Key Deadlines
Nov 19, 2027compliance: All import requirements for used cooking oil under this Regulation become applicable; operators and competent authorities must align existing procedures with the harmonised requirements by this date
Nov 19, 2025other: Regulation enters into force (twentieth day following publication on 30 October 2025)
Producer Definition
Importers of used cooking oil from third countries into the EU; operators of approved or registered establishments/plants in third countries exporting used cooking oil to the EU
Enforcement
Competent authorities of EU Member States; border control post authorities conducting official controls under Regulation (EU) 2017/625:
Preemption Notes
This is an EU Commission Regulation directly applicable in all Member States, harmonising import requirements for used cooking oil across the EU. Member States cannot impose divergent national import requirements for the matters covered.

Tracking dates like these across a whole portfolio of jurisdictions is what Upcoming Deadlines does.

Full bill text

Official Journal of the European Union

EN
L series

2025/2181

30.10.2025

COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2025/2181
of 29 October 2025

amending Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 as regards requirements for the import of used cooking oil
(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 laying down health rules as regards animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 ( 1 ) , and in particular Article 41(3), first and third subparagraphs, and Article 42(2), points (b) and (d), thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 ( 2 ) lays down implementing measures for the public and animal health rules for animal by-products and derived products in order to prevent and minimise risks to public and animal health arising from those products. Those implementing measures concern all elements of the animal by-product chain from generation through to end use or disposal including collection, handling and transport of animal by-products, as well as conditions for the placing on the market of imported animal by-products and derived products.

(2)

To facilitate international trade in used cooking oil, it is necessary to lay down harmonised requirements for their import into the Union.

(3)

Used cooking oil is considered catering waste to which Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 applies, as provided for in Article 2(2), point (g)(iii), of that Regulation, when it is destined for processing by pressure sterilisation or for processing by methods referred to in Article 15(1), first subparagraph, point (b), of that Regulation or for transformation into biogas or for composting. Where used cooking oil or any product derived therefrom is intended for the operations subject to Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 as referred to in Article 2(2), point (g)(iii), of that Regulation, the import, transport, treatment and the subsequent use of such used cooking oil are governed by that Regulation.

(4)

Used cooking oil, other than catering waste originating from means of transport operating internationally, is Category 3 material pursuant to Article 10, point (p), of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009. Used cooking oil not containing or not consisting of materials of animal origin does not fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009.

(5)

Used cooking oil is an oil and a fatty fraction of catering waste. A definition of used cooking oil should be added in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 to clarify the scope of the requirements provided for the imports of used cooking oil.

(6)

Used cooking oil is a starting material for the production of renewable fuels, biodiesel or oleochemical products. To prevent and minimise risks to public and animal health posed by used cooking oil, relevant requirements for imports of used cooking oil should be set out, including animal health restrictions, a list of third countries from which used cooking oil may be imported, a model declaration to accompany a consignment of imported used cooking oil at the time of official controls on the consignment at border control posts of entry into the Union and requirements for the establishment of origin of used cooking oil.

(7)

To prevent entry of used cooking oil in the feed chain for farmed animals, consignments of used cooking oil imported from third countries, unless used cooking oil is moved by a closed conveyer system, should be subject to the conditions for monitoring the transport and arrival of consignments of certain goods from the border control post of arrival to the establishment at the place of destination in the Union referred to in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1666 ( 3 ) .

(8)

Those controls should also apply where the used cooking oil is heated or melted in an approved plant carrying out intermediate activities, or temporarily stored in an approved intermediate storage plant before being consigned to the final destination in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1666, unless used cooking oil is moved by a closed conveyer system.

(9)

To harmonise the import requirements for used cooking oil, a new model declaration should be introduced in Annex XV to Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 to accompany consignments of used cooking oil at the time of official controls on the consignment at border control posts of entry into the Union.

(10)

Therefore, Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 should be amended accordingly.

(11)

It is appropriate to provide the operators and competent authorities with sufficient time to align existing procedures with the harmonised requirements for the import of used cooking oil set out in this Regulation. Therefore, this Regulation should apply from 19 November 2027.

(12)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1
Annexes I, XIV and XV to Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .
It shall apply from 19 November 2027.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 29 October 2025.

For the Commission

The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN

( 1 )
OJ L 300, 14.11.2009, p. 1 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1069/oj .

( 2 ) Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 of 25 February 2011 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down health rules as regards animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption and implementing Council Directive 97/78/EC as regards certain samples and items exempt from veterinary checks at the border under that Directive ( OJ L 54, 26.2.2011, p. 1 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/142/oj ).

( 3 ) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1666 of 24 June 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards conditions for monitoring the transport and arrival of consignments of certain goods from the border control post of arrival to the establishment at the place of destination in the Union ( OJ L 255, 4.10.2019, p. 1 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2019/1666/oj ).

ANNEX
Annexes I, XIV and XV to Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 are amended as follows:

(1)

in Annex I, the following point is added:

‘62.

“used cooking oil” means an oil fraction of catering waste Category 3 material containing or consisting of materials of animal origin referred to in Article 10, point (p), of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009.’;

(2)

in Annex XIV, Chapter II is amended as follows:

(a)

in Section 1, in Table 2, the following row is added:

No

Product

Raw materials (reference to provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009)

Import and transit conditions

Third countries’ lists

Certificates / model documents

‘21

Used cooking oil

Category 3 material referred to in Article 10, point (p) of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009, as defined in Annex 1 point 62.

The used cooking oil shall comply with the requirements set out in Section 13.

Any third country.

Annex XV, Chapter 22.’

(b)

the following section is added:

‘Section 13

Imports of used cooking oil

Used cooking oil of Category 3 material referred to in Article 10, point (p), of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 may be imported provided that a consignment complies with the following requirements:

(a)

it originates from an approved or registered establishment or plant in a third country;

(b)

following the official controls on the consignment laid down in Article 49(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, unless it is moved by a closed conveyer system, which may not be by-passed and has been authorised by the competent authority, the consignment is transported and monitored in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1666 to the plant of destination:

(i)

approved for the processing into biodiesel or renewable fuels in accordance with Article 24(1), point (a), of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009;

(ii)

approved for handling used cooking oil in accordance with Article 24(1), point (h), of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009;

(iii)

approved for the storage of used cooking oil in accordance with Article 24(1), point (i), of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009; or

(iv)

registered for oleochemical activities in accordance with Article 23(1), point (a), of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009;

(c)

was filtered before shipment, or it has undergone a physical separation from non-oil elements, including water and solid particles of more than 6 mm, to reach a combined amount of moisture and solid particles of not more than 10 % w/w ( *1 ) at the time of dispatch;

(d)

at the time of official controls at border control post it is accompanied by a declaration of the importer drawn up in accordance with the Model declaration set out in Chapter 22 of Annex XV in at least one of the official languages of the Member State in which the official control at the border control post will be carried out, as well as in at least one of the official languages of the Member State of destination.

( *1 ) % w/w: percentage weight/weight, a concentration expressed as the weight of a solute dissolved in a given weight of solution.’;"

(3)

in Annex XV, the following chapter is added:

‘CHAPTER 22

Model declaration

Declaration by the importer of used cooking oil intended for import to (1) / transit through (1) the European Union

’

( *1 ) % w/w: percentage weight/weight, a concentration expressed as the weight of a solute dissolved in a given weight of solution.’;”

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/2181/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)

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