As part of the European Green Deal and the new circular economy action plan, the European Commission put forward a revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) in November 2022. The initiative's main objective is to ensure that all packaging is reusable or recyclable in an economically feasible manner by 2030.

The PPWD requires Member States to take measures to prevent the generation of packaging waste and to minimise the environmental impact of packaging. The proposal was voted on in the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament on 24 October 2023.

According to the European Commission, from 2009 to 2020, the total mass of packaging waste generated in the EU rose by 20%. Paper and cardboard represented the most common packaging waste materials, at 41%. Environmental organisations report that three billion trees are cut down every year worldwide to meet the demand for paper packaging.

Listen to Euractiv's Virtual Conference that discusses the proposed revision to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. Questions to be addressed include:

- Does the proposed Regulation go far enough to reduce the environmental impact of packaging, in particular for our forests?
- Could the PPWR lead to a reduction in logging activities?
- Considering factors such as environmental and food safety measures, are there alternative packaging options available?