EU PACKAGING REGULATION: What's the latest?

As we enter 2024, 'trilogue’ discussions – between the European Council, European Parliament and European Commission – are now underway towards reaching a consensus on the final text of the EU's landmark Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Meanwhile, the European Parliament elections in June 2024 are approaching, adding an extra layer of urgency.

As part of the efforts to foster sustainable packaging solutions, along with the need for establishing a harmonised EU-wide approach, the European Commission put forth a proposal for EU’s packaging regulation in November 2022, with the mission to:

• Reduce and prevent the generation of packaging waste in the EU;
• Harmonise the internal packaging market;
• Drive the pursuit of a Circular Economy in a cost-efficient way.

Packaging is a crucial component of the European Circular Economy journey, and paper packaging stands out as a recyclable, renewable alternative.

What’s the latest?

Significant progress was made in late 2023, marking a pivotal moment in the development of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.

In November 2023, the European Parliament adopted its position on the PPWR in plenary. Besides the general waste reduction targets of 5% by 2030, 10% by 2035, and 15% by 2040, the new rules require that all packaging should be recyclable, fulfilling strict criteria to be defined through secondary legislation, with temporary exemptions outlined for certain materials.

Members of the European Parliament also urged EU countries to ensure that 90% of the materials contained in packaging are collected separately by 2029, highlighting the value of well-established separate collection and sorting systems across Europe.

Later in December, the Council of the European Union adopted its general approach. The Council amended the proposal on recyclable packaging as put forward by the Commission; while all packaging placed on the market must still be recyclable, member states agreed that packaging will be considered recyclable when designed for material recycling, and when the waste packaging can be separately collected, sorted and recycled at scale.

What does the future hold?

Looking ahead, the focus now turns to the so-called trilogue talks, where the final shape of the Regulation will be formally agreed on.

The 4evergreen alliance - a cross-industry alliance of over 110 members representing the entire lifecycle of fibre-based packaging - recognises the ambitious goals of the PPWR and will continue to provide expert input once the Regulation enters into force to help shape the foreseen Delegated and Implementing Acts as well as Standardisation.

The role of fibre-based packaging

Fibre-based packaging is a recyclable, renewable paper-based packaging solution whose main raw material is wood fibres, which can be used up to 25 times. It is already recycled at the highest rate of all packaging materials (82.5% on average across the European Union in 2021, according to Eurostat figures).

However, 4evergreen members aim further by setting the goal to raise the overall recycling rate of fibre-based packaging to 90% by 2030, exceeding the EU recycling target for this material.

To do so, the 4evergreen alliance shares expertise to develop Europe-wide tools and guidelines, including the Recyclability Evaluation Protocol – assessing the recyclability of individual fibre-based packaging products –, the Circularity by Design Guideline – ensuring that packaging is designed for optimal recycling from the start –, and the Guidance on Improved Collection and Sorting – setting guidelines for future collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure.

For more information, please visit 4evergreenforum.eu.