Page 48 - Plastics News January 2026
P. 48
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
duce mass balance allocation rules for chemical clers inside and outside the EU will be subject
recycling. These will clarify how chemically recy- to the same compliance standards, with audits
cled outputs can count toward recycled content planned for facilities beyond EU borders.
targets and harmonize calculation, verification,
and reporting requirements under the Single- The Commission also plans to introduce dedi-
Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). Officials say the cated customs codes for recyclates, enabling
rules will provide legal certainty for investors, better import controls and creating a more level
especially as the industry prepares to meet tar- playing field. Separate codes are expected for
gets such as 25 percent recycled content in PET recycled polymers used in different sectors.
bottles by 2025 and 30 percent in all beverage Meanwhile, exports of plastic waste to non-
bottles by 2030.
OECD countries will be banned from November
Circular Plastics Alliance to Relaunch in 2026 2026, while shipments to OECD countries will
be closely monitored. By the second quarter of
The Circular Plastics Alliance, first launched in 2026, the Commission will assess whether such
2018, will be relaunched in 2026. The renewed exports are managed sustainably in line with EU
initiative will develop an industry-led assessment waste shipment rules.
of the EU plastics sector and a roadmap to ad-
dress structural challenges. It will also support Driving Investment and Innovation
market surveillance, stimulate demand for re- To support long-term growth, the Commission
cycled plastics, and advance the development will continue funding research and innovation
of dedicated customs codes for recycled poly- through Horizon Europe, which allocated €115
mers.
million between 2021 and 2024 for circular pack-
Ensuring Fair Competition aging, bio-based alternatives, and safer recy-
cling processes. Its Innovation Fund has so far
The Commission acknowledged that earlier ef- awarded around €300 million to highly innova-
forts to promote recycled plastics have coincid- tive plastic-related projects.
ed with a rise in imported feedstock and plastic
products. Under existing customs codes, au- In December 2025, the Commission also adopt-
thorities cannot reliably distinguish between vir- ed a proposal to streamline environmental as-
gin and recycled plastics, limiting effective moni- sessments, aiming to speed up permitting for
toring. recycling, reuse, and waste prevention projects.
Looking ahead, a pilot project under the Com-
To address this, the Import Surveillance Task petitiveness Coordination Tool will focus on
Force, launched in March 2025, will strengthen Trans-Regional Circularity Hubs, aligning with
oversight of plastic imports. In addition, amend- the Clean Industrial Deal to strengthen second-
ments to Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 ary raw material supply and reduce dependence
are expected to tighten documentation require- on imports.
ments for recycled plastics—particularly in food-
contact applications such as PET bottles. Recy- The Commission will also work with the Euro-
48 PLASTICS NEWS January 2026
