The European plastics value chain industry has written to the European Commission (EC) reiterating recommendations made last year to strengthen competitiveness, circularity and investment in the sector.
The move comes a year after 34 organisations, including waste management operators, recyclers, raw material producers and plastics converters, put forward a set of strategic recommendations aimed at shaping an agenda that would contribute to a resilient and circular plastics value chain in the continent.
In a joint letter sent to Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EC, more than 50 signatories – including Plastics Europe, Plastics Recyclers Europe, the British Plastics Federation, Amaplast and Centro Espanol De Plasticos – called for targeted and coordinated EU action built around six strategic priorities.
These were listed as:
• Restoring fair competition and promoting circular plastics made in Europe
• Cutting energy costs and supporting circular plastics to compete globally
• Ending loopholes in verification and enforcement
• Implementing and enforcing EU law
• Catalysing innovation and private investment
• Enhancing Extended Producer Responsibility for a fair circular market
Short-term action package
In December 2025, the EC published a policy document, ‘Accelerating Europe’s transition to a circular economy: a pilot for boosting the circularity of plastics’, as a short-term action package that served as the first step towards the broader Circular Economy Act, proposed for 2026.
Since its publication, developments have taken place in several areas, including work on EU-wide End-of-Waste criteria, the relaunch of the Circular Plastics Alliance, and discussions on CN codes, the letter acknowledged.
However, it cautioned that low-priced imports of both recyclates and products (semi-finished and finished), high energy costs, legal uncertainty, administrative burdens and regulatory fragmentation continue to hinder Europe’s ability to compete and invest.
The letter identified the forthcoming Circular Economy Act as a ‘crucial opportunity to translate ambition into action’.
‘The window for action is rapidly narrowing,’ the letter stated.
‘Seize this opportunity’
‘The signatories urge the EU institutions to seize this opportunity and deliver measures that strengthen Europe’s industrial base, accelerate the circular transition and unlock sustainable growth.
‘A competitive and resilient plastics value chain is not only essential for the sector itself, but also a prerequisite for Europe’s broader ambitions on competitiveness, strategic autonomy and circularity.’
New rules on packaging and packaging waste have applied in the EU since 12 August.
According to EU lawmakers, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation will change the way products are packaged to protect the environment and people’s health.
The new rules are designed to address the large quantities of packaging waste that end up in landfill, as well as the chemicals used in packaging that are considered to be harmful.
