The European Organisation for Packaging and the Environment (EUROPEN) has announced that a diverse group of 70 European organisations representing the regional packaging supply chain has pressed the European Commission to reconsider the Joint Research Centre’s (JRC) proposed guidelines for EU waste sorting labels.
The suggested system, which relies on colour and text-based sorting directions for packaging, reportedly risks disrupting the EU single market, adding operational challenges for companies, and perplexing consumers.
This approach also seemingly conflicts with the goals of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and weakens the EU’s commitment to protecting the single market, as outlined in its single market strategy, which lists inconsistent packaging labels as a major obstacle to cross-border trade.
According to Article 12 of the PPWR, the European Commission is responsible for creating uniform EU-wide sorting instructions.
However, the JRC’s current guidelines could reinstate national divisions by mandating translations into various languages and imposing intricate labelling requirements, thus undermining the harmonisation that the regulation aims to deliver.
EUROPEN says it pushes for a straightforward, fully standardised labelling framework that promotes recyclability, lowers compliance expenses, and operates seamlessly across all member states.
EUROPEN secretary general Francesca Siciliano Stevens said: “We urge the European Commission to realign the JRC guidelines with the core principles of market integration and harmonisation.
“Only a truly unified approach to sorting labels can deliver clarity for consumers, efficiency for businesses, and real environmental impact.”
