Concretely, Finland and Italy want next week’s Environment Council (December 18) in Brussels, where EU Ministers expect to close political negotiations on the PPWR, to avoid restrictions on single-use packaging, especially for food and beverages, an appeal in line with the European Parliament’s decision to water down the single-use restriction provision during plenary in Strasbourg, on November 22.
The two countries are also calling on exemptions for single-use formats that can demonstrate the best environmental outcome or in cases where economic operators can show a high separate collection rate of their packaging waste.
The joint-document circulated by Finland and Italy also attacks proposed market restrictions related to specific packaging formats, citing a “very heavy impact” on the agri-food and hospitality sectors.
According to the signatories, the upcoming law should “leave the choice open” to packaging alternatives that deliver the best overall environmental outcome in line with a life-cycle assessment.
The Spanish Presidency confirmed that reuse targets are the “main open issue” to discuss among policymakers, during a press briefing held yesterday.
“We hope to reach an agreement to accommodate these concerns [reuse and refill] by more than one member state in a way that ensures ambition is not watered down too much,” the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council told a press conference.
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Finland and Italy oppose stringent single-use packaging restrictions in the upcoming PPWR, advocating for exemptions and flexibility. They argue for alternatives based on life-cycle assessments, stressing the impact on the agri-food and hospitality sectors. The Spanish EU Presidency aims to balance these concerns with the need for ambitious reuse targets.