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The EU Council and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on the proposed regulation on packaging and packaging waste. “This regulation aims to reduce waste caused by packaging, making it more sustainable, while ensuring the highest standards of waste management,” writes the current Belgian presidency.
Last December, Italy was the only one of the Twenty-Seven to have voted against the adoption of the EU Council’s negotiating mandate on the packaging regulation. Last Wednesday, the Belgian presidency submitted a revised text to Coreper to obtain the negotiating mandate for the second negotiation with Parliament, obtaining a mandate to negotiate on the basis of the new compromise, with margins of flexibility.
Italy has appreciated some of the positions of the presidency that go towards Parliament on the bans on disposable and reusable products, but remains with a position of fundamental skepticism for the general structure of a Regulation, which, for the government, would have social costs and high economic costs, not counterbalanced by optimal environmental solutions.
Some formats of single-use plastic packaging will be banned from 2030, such as packaging for fresh unprocessed fruit and vegetables, packaging for food and drinks filled and consumed in bars and restaurants, individual portions (such as condiments, sauces, cream, sugar), and products miniature for toiletries in hotels.