Currently there is no EU law in place applying specifically to biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics. Yet, the European Union has made increasing efforts to introduce or adapt policies, regulatory frameworks, and standards to strengthen and implement the bioeconomy and circular economy in Europe in recent years, all of which affect the bioplastics sector in one way or other.
In particular, the future policy framework for biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics, as part of the Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan and Green Deal, is a crucial piece of legislation. It has the potential to boost the role of bioplastics in developing a truly circular bioeconomy, enabling innovation, and attracting new investments. Currently, there is no legislation in place at EU level specifically designed for our industry. Hence, the implications of the new policy framework for the bioplastics sector will be extremely important.
European top-level strategies supporting bioplastics:
- EU Bioeconomy Strategy (2018)
- EU Plastics Strategy (2018)
- EU Green Deal (2019)
- New EU Circular Economy Action Plan (2020)
- EU Climate Law (2021) & EU Taxonomy (2020)
- Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive (review 2022)
- Waste Framework Directive (review 2023)
Other relevant policy initiatives include:
- Single-Use Plastics Directive (2019) incl. restrictions on oxo-degradable plastics
- EU rules on recycled plastics for food-contact materials (2022)
- Substantiating claims on environmental performance (2022)
- Sustainable Produc