April 9, 2026 12:32

Europe’s plastics value chain, unusually speaking with one voice, has called on Brussels to press ahead without delay with a set of measures aimed at reviving the circular plastics economy across the continent.

The three associations — European Plastics Converters (EuPC), Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE) and Plastics Europe — have welcomed the European Commission’s intention to relaunch the Circular Plastics Alliance (CPA), created in 2018 as part of the European Strategy for Plastics. 
At the same time, however, they are calling for targeted, concrete and urgent action.

According to the signatories to the appeal, Europe needs to restore the competitiveness of its plastics system, ensure that the rules introduced are workable, fit for purpose and capable of accelerating the transition to circularity, and create a more supportive environment for investment in circular technologies and infrastructure.

The six measures proposed to achieve these goals are:

• Restore fair competition by promoting Europe-made circular plastics.
• Reduce energy costs to enable circular plastics to compete globally.
• Close loopholes in verification and enforcement to ensure a level playing field.
• Address market fragmentation through consistent implementation and enforcement of EU legislation.
• Unlock innovation and investment by breaking regulatory and financial deadlocks.
• Strengthen Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes to support a fair and effective circular market.

“As industry, we stand ready to actively contribute data, expertise, and practical insights to support this work,” the three associations say in the appeal sent to the European Commission. “We also underline the importance of a technology-neutral approach that supports the full range of recycling solutions needed to scale circularity.”

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