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The European Commission has unveiled a first set of pilot actions to accelerate Europe’s transition to a circular economy, with a particular focus on the plastics sector. By optimising the recycling of plastics, these measures will further unlock the potential of the single market and enhance the EU’s economic security, strategic autonomy, competitiveness and environmental sustainability.
The Commission is pursuing a two-step approach. Firstly, this package includes a set of short-term measures to support circularity, particularly in the plastics sector, while encouraging investment and innovation more broadly. This will be followed later this year by the proposal for a Circular Economy Act setting out further horizontal measures to improve the functioning of the single market for secondary raw materials.
The package includes:
- an implementing act to create EU-wide end-of-waste criteria for plastics under the Waste Framework Directive. They are looking for feedback on this – more details here;
- an implementing act concerning the recycled content of PET single-use plastic beverage bottles under the Single-Use Plastics Directive – this is being put to the Member States for a vote;
- reinforcing the Circular Plastics Alliance to promote cooperation along the plastics value chain;
- creating separate customs codes for virgin and recycled plastics;
- monitoring of EU and global markets for virgin and recycled plastics. The results of this exercise will influence potential trade measures to ensure fair competition between EU-produced and imported plastics;
- stepping up support for circular projects, leveraging collaboration with national banks and the European Investment Bank. The Commission will support Trans-Regional Circularity Hubs by setting up a Competitiveness Coordination Tool pilot project. The hubs will encourage smart specialisation and cross-border cooperation to scale up recycling and circular practices.
- launching a public consultation and call for evidence to evaluate the Single-Use Plastics Directive.
The circular economy is a major opportunity for the plastics sector but the plastic recycling sector is under serious pressure. This package is intended to help remedy these problems.
