In November 2022, the European Commission proposed to revise the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), with the idea of reducing the negative environmental impacts of packaging and packaging waste, while improving the functioning of the internal market.

This revision aims to prevent the generation of packaging waste, reduce its quantity, and promote reuse and refill. It also aims to ensure that all packaging on the EU market will be recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030, while increasing the use of recycled plastics in packaging.

It additionally proposes some key measures to bring about change. One of these measures focuses on proposing targets for packaging waste reduction at the Member State level, and mandatory reuse targets for economic operators for selected packaging groups.

According to some stakeholders, there are certain aspects of the proposed revision that require further elaboration to ensure effective implementation. They consider that reuse and recycling should be complementary and reuse targets should be realistic and positive for the environment, society, and economy. Furthermore they argue that waste prevention measures are essential, while market restrictions should be evaluated to ensure they do not increase the environmental impact and food waste.

Relisten to this EURACTIV Hybrid Conference to learn about the proposed revision to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. How can it be fit for all? And how can the key measures be achieved in a way that fits the entire value chain?