• Three major European recycling and waste management organisations are calling for stronger recognition of plastics collected and recycled within Europe. • Plastics Recyclers Europe, FEAD and Recycling Europe argue that European recycled materials should receive preferential treatment when companies comply with EU recycled-content targets. • The organisations warn that increasing imports of low-cost recycled plastics are putting European recyclers under severe competitive pressure. • They argue that EU circularity policies should create demand not only for recycled content, but also for recycling activities taking place within Europe. • The debate is becoming increasingly important as PPWR and other EU legislation progressively introduce mandatory recycled-content requirements.
• The new EU Regulation on end-of-life vehicles entered into force on 13 August 2026. • New vehicle types will have to contain at least 15% recycled plastic from post-consumer waste from September 2032. • The mandatory recycled plastic content will increase to 25% from September 2036. • At least 20% of the recycled plastic required to meet the target will have to come from end-of-life vehicles or vehicle parts and components. • From 2032, the EU will also introduce an annual recycling target for plastics contained in end-of-life vehicles. • The new rules will directly affect vehicle manufacturers, Tier suppliers, plastics processors, compounders and recyclers.
• Approximately 200 European companies and organizations are asking the European Commission not to reopen the PPWR regulation. • The industry warns that renegotiating the regulation could delay already planned investments. • Many companies have already begun adapting packaging and processes to the new requirements. • Signatories call for accelerating secondary legislation and implementation guidelines. • The industry’s main message: stability and predictability, not new legislative negotiations.
• The European Commission has released official guidance documents for the implementation of PPWR. • The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will start applying on 12 August 2026. • The new guidance clarifies requirements related to recyclability, reuse, labeling, and recycled content. • All economic operators involved in packaging production and use will be affected. • PPWR represents the most significant legislative change in the European packaging sector in decades.
• The European Union has entered the final preparation phase before banning plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries. • The measure will take effect on 21 November 2026. • Traders, brokers and recyclers will need to adapt their commercial flows and recovery strategies. • European recycling capacity will become increasingly important in managing available waste streams. • The launch of DIWASS marks the beginning of a new digital era in waste shipment traceability.
138 companies and industry organizations have asked the European Commission to postpone certain PPWR requirements scheduled to apply from 12 August 2026. Signatories include Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Kraft Heinz, Heineken and other major food and packaging companies. Industry representatives cite unresolved technical and regulatory issues, including PFAS testing methodologies, recyclability requirements and definitions of single-use packaging. More than 160 environmental and health organizations have urged the Commission to keep the current timeline unchanged. No official postponement of the PPWR implementation schedule has been announced by the European Commission.
The countdown is on: on 12 August 2026, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, Regulation EU 2025/40) becomes mandatory across all EU member states, with no national transposition. With fewer than 80 days to the deadline, Europe's packaging industry is navigating compliance pressure, implementation uncertainties and a failed last-minute attempt by single-use packaging producers to delay the regulation.
The European Union is introducing strict new rules under the Waste Shipments Regulation, including a ban on plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries starting November 2026. The move is expected to significantly reshape recycling flows and increase pressure on Europe’s internal processing capacity.
Following the publication of the PPWR implementation guidance by the European Commission, industry bodies such as European Brands Association and FoodDrinkEurope warn that significant uncertainties remain, particularly around recycled content verification, costs, and consistent application across EU member states.
From March 31, 2026, England implements simplified nationwide recycling rules, while from April 1, the plastic packaging tax rises to £228.82/tonne for materials containing less than 30% recycled content.
The United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union intensify regulations on mandatory minimum recycled content in plastic packaging
European Commission has published an implementing act clarifying the methodology for calculating and reporting recycled content in packaging. The document establishes detailed technical criteria for compliance verification and directly impacts producers, converters, and recyclers across the EU.
EU Member States have supported the inclusion of chemical recycling within the regulatory framework defining minimum recycled content in plastic packaging. The move could accelerate investment in advanced recycling technologies and directly impact the PCR materials market.
Italian authorities have published updated guidance on End-of-Waste (EoW) criteria for recycled plastics, bringing more clarity on when a material ceases to be waste and becomes a secondary raw material.
The European Commission plans to introduce stricter measures in early 2026 regarding imports of recycled plastics. The initiative aims to clearly distinguish between recycled and virgin materials and could have a direct impact on the European recycled polymers market.
The European Commission is launching a set of pilot measures targeting demand, supply and the regulatory framework of plastics recycling, as a preparatory step ahead of the Circular Economy Act scheduled for 2026.
The European Commission is setting a clear agenda for plastics circularity in 2026, focusing on increasing the use of recycled plastics, legislative clarification (including end-of-waste criteria), and policy tools designed to stimulate demand for recycled materials in packaging.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, OMV’s CEO warned that excessively rigid plastic recycling regulations risk slowing down innovation and industrial investment if they are not supported by proper infrastructure and economic incentives.
The European Commission has launched a package aimed at harmonising “end-of-waste” (EoW) criteria for recycled plastics across the EU. The draft is open for public consultation until 26 January 2026, while adoption of the criteria is expected later in 2026.
The European plastics industry is calling for clear, harmonised and predictable rules on mandatory recycled content, warning that the lack of a coherent framework could slow investments and destabilise the market.
The European Commission has announced its legislative priorities for 2026 regarding the circular economy of plastics. The focus is on strengthening the market for recycled plastics, reducing dependence on virgin plastic, and harmonising rules across EU Member States.
The European Union is moving decisively into the implementation phase of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), a legislative framework set to fundamentally reshape the design, use, and recycling of plastic packaging starting in 2026.
The European Commission has introduced a package of pilot actions designed to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in the EU’s plastics sector, with specific measures to support recycling industries — including chemical recycling — and address competitive pressures. European Commission
UN negotiations on a global plastics treaty ended 2025 without an agreement, as deep divisions persist over plastic production limits and chemical regulation. The absence of a binding global framework is pushing governments and companies toward regional regulations and voluntary industry initiatives.
The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on new rules covering vehicle circularity and the management of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs). The framework includes requirements aimed at increasing the use of recycled materials, including recycled plastics, in the automotive sector.
The European Commission has published the 2025 guidance introducing a unified framework for documenting and verifying the traceability of recycled plastics across the EU.
The European Commission has released the final version of the PPWR 2026 proposal, introducing stricter rules on packaging reduction, recyclability, and reuse targets across the EU market.
The European Commission is preparing a legislative Winter Package that will introduce harmonised End-of-Waste (EoW) criteria for selected mechanically recycled plastics, enabling these materials to move freely across the European market as non-waste products.
A new European Commission report reveals that only 22% of plastics used in car manufacturing are currently recycled. Brussels now proposes legislative measures to increase recycled content and build a circular supply chain for automotive plastics across the EU.
The European Union formally adopts End-of-Waste (EoW) criteria for recycled polyethylene (rPE) and polypropylene (rPP), establishing harmonized quality standards across the EU.
• The European Parliament approves tougher rules on packaging and plastic waste management. • New reduction targets: -10% by 2030, -15% by 2035, and -20% by 2040. • Producers will have to include minimum recycled content in all plastic packaging.
The European Parliament is approaching the second reading of the upcoming EU Regulation on plastic pellet losses, targeting a 74% reduction of microplastic emissions by improving handling, storage, and transport procedures. SMEs will have simplified compliance schemes.
A new international report shows that European circular economy policies will redefine global demand for recycled plastic materials by 2030.
In September 2025, the EU adopted its first regulation specifically targeting plastic pellet losses, a major contributor to microplastic pollution. The new law introduces strict containment, traceability, and auditing requirements across the entire plastics value chain.
Stronger control over waste and secondary material imports from non-EU countries.
Italy launches a mandatory digital registry for recycled plastic tracking.
The European Commission will soon publish harmonized End-of-Waste (EoW) criteria for PP and PE recyclates.
The European Commission is moving into the final consultation stage for defining End-of-Waste (EoW) criteria applicable to recycled polyolefins — mainly polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). This long-awaited regulatory step could reshape the European recycling market by allowing certified recyclates to be officially classified as secondary raw materials, not waste.
The European Commission has presented an updated draft of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), setting binding targets for recycled content in plastic packaging and a 65% recycling rate by 2030.
The European Union introduces stricter rules on the traceability and certification of recycled plastics imported from Asia, especially LDPE and PP.
The new ELV package introduces binding recycled content targets for plastics in vehicles, along with easier dismantling and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Japan’s Ministry of Environment announced that starting January 2026, exports of mixed plastic waste will be completely banned. Only sorted fractions with full traceability will be allowed for export.
The EU adopts Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR), mandating that packaging is recyclable and reusable by 2030, with clear requirements on recycled content, packaging minimisation, reuse systems, and bans on selected single-use plastics.