At the centre of the pilot recently presented by the European Commission is the packaging sector, which is to become more resilient and circular through new market rules, stronger demand for recyclates and fairer competitive conditions.
Packaging is one of the largest areas of application for plastics in Europe and is also a particular focus of regulatory requirements. With a view to the planned Circular Economy Act from 2026, the Commission is now presenting short-term measures that are specifically intended to strengthen the recycling of plastics in packaging. The background to this is the tense situation of the European recycling industry, which sees its central role in the implementation of the new packaging requirements increasingly jeopardised.
Packaging as a driver of the plastics circular economy
Packaging accounts for around half of the plastics used in the EU. At the same time, only around 13 per cent of plastic waste is recycled into new plastics, according to Brussels. The Commission sees untapped potential in this, particularly with regard to the targets of the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Increasing recycling quotas and mandatory recycled content are intended to increase demand for high-quality recycled material, but are being met by an industry that is suffering from high energy costs, low prices for virgin material and increasing import pressure.
Standardised rules for recyclates in packaging
A key point of the pilot is the introduction of EU-wide end-of-waste criteria for mechanically recycled plastics. For packaging manufacturers, this means that recyclates can be traded and used more easily within the EU in future. The aim is to create a genuine internal market for recycled plastics that reduces administrative hurdles and enables a stable supply of quality-assured material. The Commission expects this to provide greater planning certainty along the entire value chain, particularly for food contact packaging.
Chemical recycling and recyclate quotas
In addition, harmonised mass balance rules for chemically recycled plastics are to be introduced for the first time. These initially relate to the recyclate quotas for PET beverage bottles in accordance with the Single-Use Plastics Directive. For the packaging industry, this creates clarity about the extent to which chemically recycled plastics can be counted towards the statutory recycled content. According to the Commission, this should facilitate investment in recycling technologies and reduce bottlenecks in suitable recyclates.
Protection against distortion of competition in packaging materials
The Commission is also announcing measures against unfair import practices, which particularly affect the market for recycled packaging. In future, stricter verification requirements will apply to imported recycled plastics, especially for food contact materials. In addition, specific customs codes for recyclates are planned in order to clearly differentiate between virgin material and recycled material. This is intended to better protect European recyclers and packaging manufacturers from price-distorting imports.
Investments in circular packaging solutions
In addition, the Commission is planning investment stimuli that will also benefit the packaging sector in particular. Transregional circular economy hubs are to link recycling, packaging production and waste management more closely and enable economies of scale. Research and innovation, for example in the area of recyclable packaging and the use of recyclates in sensitive applications, will continue to be supported by EU programmes. The aim is to establish packaging as a lead market for the European plastics recycling industry.
Source: EU Commission
