The ambassadors of the 27 EU countries confirmed the agreement reached in the inter-institutional negotiation between the Council and the European Parliament on the packaging regulation (PPWR). This was announced by the current Belgian presidency at the helm of the EU, which underlined: «No to waste created by packaging, yes to recycling and reuse». The new rule “addresses the increase in packaging waste, while harmonizing the internal market and promoting the circular economy”. From what leaks from diplomatic sources regarding the approval of the agreement, Malta and Austria have reserved scrutiny.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also spoke on the topic: «We have demonstrated that today in Brussels there is an Italy that does not give in to solutions that penalize our industry, but that is capable of continuing to negotiate until the end in a decisive, asserting the validity of its arguments, enhancing our excellence and managing to substantially modify the final result”.
«The credit for these successes – underlined the Prime Minister – must be attributed to the proactive action ensured by the Ministries involved, in close coordination with Palazzo Chigi, to the negotiating activity conducted by our diplomatic representatives in Brussels, but also to the crucial team work carried out by our MEPs, who knew how to cut across political lines. In this sense, particular thanks go to Massimiliano Salini and Patrizia Toia, who carried out decisive work during the trialogue in building consensus in support of the national positions on the packaging dossier. We have demonstrated how a cohesive and determined Italy can truly shift the balance in Brussels and play a leading role.”
States have the choice between recycling and reuse
Palazzo Chigi issued a note in this regard, which highlights that «the regulation on packaging and packaging waste will increase the sustainability of the sector, promoting greater recyclability of packaging, as well as contributing to reducing some barriers to the functioning of the internal market, introducing standards common on labeling and waste management. The provision will also commit Member States to reducing waste, leaving, as we hoped, flexibility to States and operators in choosing the measures to achieve the objective, in particular between reusable packaging and recyclable single-use packaging, where the latter, as in the case of the catering sector, they still represent the option that offers the best environmentally and for the conservation of agricultural and food products”.
Chemical recycling and compostable plastics
«The approved amendments – observes Palazzo Chigi – encourage technologies in which we are investing, such as chemical recycling. They also safeguard sectors in which our companies have increased the recyclability of packaging, in which we are at the forefront, such as that of compostable plastics, or in which we export excellent products, such as wines, sparkling wines, vermouth and spirits. In waste management, freedom of choice is granted between the adoption of the security deposit and the maintenance of virtuous models of separate collection, such as the Italian one. The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive will help ensure that the supply chains of major European companies are as respectful of human rights and environmental sustainability as possible. Italy – it is claimed – played a key role in achieving a balanced and effective text, which concentrates the burdens on large companies (over 1,000 employees and 450 million in global turnover) better able to monitor their supply chains supply and to contribute to the mitigation of the effects of economic activities on climate change, as well as to the protection of the human rights of the people affected by the business activity. The results achieved are the result of a collective effort by all the players in the Italian system.”
#Packaging #decisive #green #light #regulation
2024-03-18 06:24:02