Requires environmental claims to be verified by a third-party; addresses carbon offsetting schemes; disregards green claims on hazardous substances; vote will be followed up by new Parliament after elections in June
March 5, 2024
Provisional agreement reached on EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
European Parliament and Council conclude negotiations on packaging and packaging waste regulation (PPWR); bans all PFAS in food packaging; targets at least 10% reusable beverage packaging by 2030; requires deposit return system for plastic and metal beverage containers; packaging reduction targets set to start in 2030
February 14, 2024
Efforts to track plastic flows in EU and Canada
EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) publishes improved model of plastic product flows and recycling in the EU; new model design is easy to update when new information becomes publicly available; Canada consulting on a draft plastic products registry to track plastic flows in the country
February 12, 2024
European Commission publishes bisphenol restriction proposal for FCMs
European Commission proposes ban on bisphenol A in food contact with a 36-month transition period for varnishes, coatings and professional production equipment, 18 months for most everything else; monitoring of unintentional BPA in recycled paper and board proposed to be left to business operators; submit comments until March 8, 2024
February 12, 2024
Growing concerns around industry lobbying in the EU
European Parliament opening internal investigation into lobbyist conduct related to the packaging and packaging waste regulation; civil society organization Corporate Europe Observatory publishes report of industry arguments made to DG Grow and DG Environment about the essential use concept
January 9, 2024
Proposals to standardize chemicals work, data sharing across EU
European Commission adopts legislative proposals working toward ‘one substance, one assessment’ in the EU; plan to create Europe-wide chemicals data platform; allow agencies to commission chemical testing and monitoring, set up an early warning system for chemical risks, and establish a monitoring framework; two proposals restructure responsibilities among EU agencies
November 28, 2023
European Parliament adopts amended Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
Includes ban on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and bisphenol A in food packaging and general packaging reduction targets; decreases reuse obligations
August 22, 2023
European Commission allows DEHCH for food contact
DEHCH deemed safe as additives in PVC for food contact; comes into effect 20 days after publication in EU’s Official Journal
August 10, 2023
16th amendment to EU Regulation 10/2011 on plastic FCMs now in force
EU amends plastic FCM regulation; adjusts specific migration limits for five phthalates; removes authorized use of two FCMs; adds five new authorized substances; came into force on August 1, 2023
July 19, 2023
DG Sante webinar on BPA restriction in food contact
Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG Sante) explains the ban of bisphenol A in food contact materials in the EU and discusses what comes next; ban will only affect “intentional use”; comes into force late 2025 or early 2026