The PPWR has taken another step forward. At the beginning of the week, the European Parliament approved the so-called language-corrected version of the EU Regulation on packaging and packaging waste. agreed. The next step is now the adoption of the final version by the European Council.
The EU Environment Committee (ENVI) adopted the revised text without objection on Monday as part of the rectification procedure. The EU Parliament then formally approved it, the Corrections are therefore deemed to have been accepted. Due to the EU elections in June this year, only the English language version could be submitted to the EU Parliament in April 2024. As part of the corrigendum procedure, however, the final wording must be translated into the other official EU languages and then subjected to a linguistic and legal review.
The next step is for the European Council to adopt the final version before publication in the EU Official Journal and the ordinance is expected to come into force at the beginning of 2025. After a Transition period of 18 months most of the PPWR regulations then apply. However, different deadlines are provided for some provisions.
On their Meeting on 16 December the members of the EU Commission will have another opportunity for a Q&A session. The event will be broadcast on the Commission's website and can be followed via web streaming become.
Plastics association welcomes adoption by EU Parliament
Plastics Europe, the Association of European Plastics Manufacturers, has announced the final adoption of the EU Packaging Regulation by the European Parliament. Managing Director Virginia Janssens described the regulation as a decisive step forwards in the Making the plastics system in Europe more sustainable.
During the legislative process, the association had argued in favour of Ambitious but realisable recyclate usage quotas made a strong case for this. Plastics Europe also emphasised the need to promote the recycling and reuse of plastics, provided that a suitable legal framework is created that takes both economic and environmental objectives into account.
At the same time, Plastics Europe warns against a Loss of competitiveness of the EU, according to the report „Plastics - the fast facts“. This decline could jeopardise the transformation to a circular economy.
„Even if we do not agree with all points of the regulation, it provides the much-needed clarity and predictability that European companies now urgently need. It is crucial that the necessary secondary legislation for this regulation is now developed swiftly. Without a clear legal framework, the European plastics industry's ability to drive innovation and achieve its ambitious goals will be further undermined.“
Alexander Kronimus, Managing Director of Plastics Europe Germany
BDE in favour of rapid introduction of uniform standards
The BDE Bundesverband der Deutschen Entsorgungs-, Wasser- und Kreislaufwirtschaft expressly welcomed the adoption of the corrected text by Parliament. This marked a decisive step in the legislative process.
„The EU Packaging Regulation is a decisive milestone for a resource-conserving circular economy in Europe. Standardised requirements such as minimum recycled content quotas and the recycling-friendly design of packaging create urgently needed incentives for high-quality recycling or make it possible in the first place, thereby strengthening the internal market for recyclates.“
Anja Siegesmund, BDE President
At the same time, the association emphasised the importance of swift progress in the adoption of secondary legislation, which will supplement the ordinance and flesh it out in detail: „The ordinance creates a clear and reliable framework for companies, consumers and the waste management industry. However, these regulations can only be fully effective if their application is legally certain and adopted. It is therefore essential that the European Commission swiftly adopts the necessary delegated acts and implementing provisions,“ continued Siegesmund.
GreenDot: Incentives for investments
GreenDot believes that the new European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) an indispensable measure, to provide the market for recycled plastics with the necessary support and give investors the signal that will lead to the necessary investments to significantly increase recycling capacities.
„We also call on the European Commission to create a clear framework and incentives for mechanical and chemical recycling to encourage investment in the new infrastructure needed. Close cooperation between industry, politics and research is crucial for the successful implementation of the circular economy in Europe.“ Laurent Auguste, CEO of the GreenDot Group
GreenDot is prepared to actively participate in the Shaping a sustainable future and is committed to working with the new EU Commission to help realise the circular economy for plastics on a large scale while tackling the challenges posed by the growing volume of plastic waste.
