1. Policy updates

Throughout June, EUBP remained highly active across its core regulatory workstreams, while significantly increasing its external outreach through conferences, stakeholder events and speaking engagements across Europe. The month was marked by a strong focus on the implementation of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), preparations for the upcoming Biotech Act II, developments within the European bioeconomy agenda and the concluding phase of the Critical Chemicals Alliance (CCA). 

On the PPWR, EUBP continued implementing its advocacy strategy and engaged in a wide range of policy discussions with both policymakers and stakeholders. On 2 June, EUBP participated in the CEPIP event on single-portion plastic packaging at the European Parliament, contributing to discussions on Annex V of the PPWR.  

On 4 June, EUBP participated in the Belgian BioPackaging (BBP) session on compostable packaging together with several sectoral associations, while also presenting to the General Assembly of 350° Food Service on the implications of the PPWR for compostable packaging and food service applications. Throughout the month, EUBP continued monitoring the implementation of Article 8 on biobased content, Article 9 on compostable packaging and Annex V, while further strengthening its dialogue with national authorities following the adoption of Germany's Packaging Implementation Act and developments related to the Italian implementation of Article 9(2). 

Preparations for the Biotech Act II also intensified. Building on the work carried out in previous months, EUBP finalised and submitted its contribution to the European Commission's Call for Evidence before the deadline of 10 June. The association continued to advocate for strong demand-side measures, lead-market creation and an enabling framework for biobased products, while supporting the development of sustainability criteria inspired by the Renewable Energy Directive. According to discussions with DG GROW, the future initiative will have a broader scope than initially envisaged, covering both industrial biotechnology and biobased products, with a legislative proposal currently expected during the fourth quarter of 2026. 

June also marked an important milestone for the broader EU Bioeconomy agenda. On 11 June, EUBP participated in Bio Innovations Europe in The Hague, where we presented the evolving EU policy pipeline for market-pull measures supporting biobased plastics. The conference also provided valuable opportunities to engage with policymakers, existing members and potential new partners. On 12 June, EUBP participated as an industry observer in the inaugural meeting of the European Commission Expert Group on the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, where Member States and stakeholders discussed the future implementation of the Strategy, the launch of the Bio-based Europe Initiative and the newly established Bioeconomy Investment Deployment Group. On 16 June, Secretary General Lorenza Romanese spoke at the Portuguese Permanent Representation to the EU on "Bioeconomy in Action", highlighting the contribution of bioplastics to Europe's industrial competitiveness and circular economy ambitions. 

EUBP also remained actively engaged in the work of the Critical Chemicals Alliance. As the activities of the current Working Groups approach their conclusion, discussions focused on finalising recommendations for the identification of critical molecules and industrial sites within WG1, while WG4 worked towards completing its recommendations on lead-market measures and policy options for sustainable-carbon and low-carbon products. These recommendations are expected to be validated by the Steering Committee during the summer before final adoption later this year. 

Within the European Bioeconomy Alliance (EUBA), discussions continued on strengthening the organisation's future governance and impact. Together with several member associations, EUBP contributed to ongoing reflections on repositioning EUBA as a more focused policy coalition capable of supporting implementation of the EU's bioeconomy agenda. Discussions also progressed on launching a flagship evidence-based study to underpin future advocacy efforts and strengthen the alliance's common policy narrative. 

Beyond the main regulatory files, June offered numerous opportunities for stakeholder engagement. On 23 June, EUBP followed the European Parliament's public hearing on the upcoming Circular Economy Act, which provided valuable insights into Parliament's expectations for the future legislative proposal. The same day, EUBP participated as a speaker in the "Biobased Policy Across Borders" webinar organised by BBIA and the Global Centre for Sustainable Bioproducts, comparing developments in EU, UK and US policy frameworks for biobased products. On 24 June, EUBP attended Avantium's event in the European Parliament on reindustrialising Europe through sustainable chemistry, while on 25 June the association participated in the Women in Bioeconomy Summer Reception. Finally, on 30 June, EUBP joined Plastics Europe's stakeholder event discussing the Circular Economy Act, Europe's competitiveness strategy and their implications for the plastics value chain. 

Overall, June demonstrated EUBP's continued commitment to ensuring that biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics remain firmly represented in the evolving European policy landscape, while strengthening the association's visibility through an exceptionally active programme of conferences, expert meetings and stakeholder engagement. 

2. Sustainability and Environment

June included several networking events during which good future contacts were made relevant to bioplastics. 

On the 4th June, during the CEFS evening event, contacts were strengthened with the sugar industry, which is a valuable source of feedstock for biobased plastics.  There is in general a lower demand for sugar in consumer foods and this opens the door to feedstock availability for our industry.  This event also allowed reconnecting with Patrick Pagani from Copa Cogeca. 

Julie and Lorette attended the Bio Innovations Europe conference in the Hague (10 and 11 June).  This was another opportunity to connect with others and to introduce EUBP to start-ups and other companies.  On the way there we had the pleasure to meet Agata Kotkowska -Deputy Head of the Bioeconomy & Sustainable Materials at DG Envi 
 
A valuable new contact established at the conference was with Dr. Karl-Heinz Füller, Manager Future Exterior and Materials for Mercedes-Benz.  Six of our EUBP members subsequently took the opportunity to supply information, via EUBP, on their products and their possible use in the automotive industry, to this team of Mercedes-Benz.  The WG SEA convenor had a follow-up meeting with Dr. Füller in (a scorching) Brussels on 23 June.   

On 18th June the convenor attended a small International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3) event as part of the Green Week, and on the 25th of June, attended another networking event, the kick-off of “Women in Bioeconomy Brussels” where Agata Kotkowska was present once again.   On 30 June, Julie and Lorette partly participated online in an ULTRA-BIO Stakeholder Workshop about LCA Guidelines for Bio-based Products.  The workshop also endorsed the -1 +1 biogenic carbon accounting approach and looked at other LCA challenges and opportunities.  

Task force progress: 

• During a formal TF MatRec meeting on 17 June, we reviewed the status of the draft Technical Specifications for Design for Recycling which is still in the CEN pipeline in preparation for voting.   
   
  The WG SEA convenor attended ~weekly meetings of CEN TC261/SC4 WG3 & WG10 on recyclability performance grades (RPG) calculations and collated and responded to questions using polls to gain the input from our TF MatRec members. (The PPWR requires that packaging reaches certain minimum RPG scores in future, else they will not be allowed to be put on the European market.)  The JRC attended one of these CEN meetings on 24th June after which a final report from CEN was delivered to the JRC for consideration in their work for the European Commission on this topic (relating to the PPWR Delegated Act foreseen for 1 January 2028). 
   
  The Deliverable D6 (value proposition paper for brands) has also been progressed during additional meetings and a new figure was added. 

• The task force TF Safe continued to improve and shape the Microplastics paper (deliverable D5) through three working meetings.  This paper is not yet in final form.    

• On 22 June the new task force, TF Feedstock II (preparing for the expected Public Consultation (expected in September 2026) on Art 8 of the PPWR) was kicked off.  The team reviewed a report (deliverable D1) and managed to agree on the work plan, scope and whether to involve external stakeholders, in its work on how we would draft a modified RED Article 29 with sustainability criteria for biobased feedstock for materials (used in plastic packaging).  A subsequent working meeting of this TF also took place on 29th June.     

A meeting of CEN TC261/SC4/WG2 shed some light on the status of the Standardisation Request (SR) that is still expected from the European Commission (and which was meant to be sent to CEN by 12 February 2026, according to the PPWR).  This SR should formally request CEN to update EN 13432 (industrial composting – and to include anaerobic digestion) and develop a new harmonised standard for home compostable packaging.  We understood during the meeting that the SR was still in legal review at the Commission.  A potential response to questions from the Commission on home composting was discussed in the CEN WG2 meeting.  

3. Research and Innovation Projects

International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management

Contribution to the 13th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management, KOS 2026 

EUBP contributed to two invited talks to this conference within the session on “Scaling-up advanced biodegradable and recyclable polymers for sustainable packaging materials”. The opening talk of the session focused on the “Design for Recycling Criteria for Bioplastics Packaging: Addressing PPWR Requirements”. The second talk digged deeper into the requirements of the legislative framework for biodegradable plastic packaging changing, 

and how can R&I cope with the changes. The audience of this event was mostly innovators and researchers working on future packaging applications. The talks were very well received as they offered useful insights to guide research to strive for compliance on evolving legislation. 

WASTE SORTING LABELS

Talk on the announced changes in the Waste Sorting Labels introduced by PPWR, 24 June 2026 

EUBP was invited to hold a talk on the changes expected on the waste sorting labelling system to be introduced by PPWR this year. The talk was held at the annual conference of the E-OILE' project which focuses on compostable packaging items. The talk highlighted the implications of PPWR for those developing packaging prototypes. The talk covered the new pictogram system proposed in the JRC publication. 

SUPERBARK

Touch base with the project SUPERBARK 23 June 2026 

The SuperBark project project exploits natural components in softwood bark, a major industrial byproduct of the forest industry, to develop bio-based high-performance adhesives and coatings for wood panels and packaging paper with the functional, safety, and sustainability standards required by the industry and consumers. 

4. Events

In June, preparations for the European Bioplastics Conference 2026 (EBC26) intensified across all work streams. Sponsorship outreach continued with additional partner discussions and confirmations, while the conference programme advanced through the ongoing promotion and management of the Call for Papers. Following requests from potential speakers, the submission deadline was extended until 14 July 2026 to provide additional time for high-quality contributions. By the end of June, 56 abstracts had already been received, demonstrating strong interest from across the bioplastics value chain. 

The EUBP Talks Series 2026 continued with the fifth webinar, “Material Solutions: Bioplastics Beyond Packaging – Agriculture”. The session explored the role of bioplastics in agricultural applications, covering practical use cases and discussing both the opportunities and challenges for the sector. The webinar attracted participants from across the value chain and maintained the strong engagement seen throughout the series. 

Preparations for the European Bioplastics Innovation Award 2026 also continued. The award was actively promoted through EUBP communication channels to encourage applications from innovative companies and start-ups. Applications remain open until 30 August 2026, with finalists benefiting from dedicated visibility activities in the run-up to EBC26. 

In addition, preparations began for EUBP’s presence at upcoming industry events, including the organisation of guided walking tours at Ecomondo 2026. Initial outreach to exhibitors was launched to identifyparticipating EUBP members and shape the tour programme. 

Overall, June was characterised by continued momentum in the preparations for EBC26, the successful continuation of the EUBP Talks Series, ongoing promotion of the Innovation Award, and the first organisational steps towards EUBP’s activities at Ecomondo 2026.