EUROPEN joins cross-sector call to maintain the current Single-Use Plastics Directive

EUROPEN has joined a coalition of European industry associations in calling on EU policymakers to maintain the current legal text of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD).

Before considering any revision of the Directive, it is essential that its existing provisions are fully implemented and properly evaluated. Reopening the SUPD at this stage would be premature and could create unnecessary legal uncertainty for businesses and Member States that are still implementing several of its requirements.

The joint statement highlights that a revision of the SUPD now would:

• Create legal uncertainty for economic operators and national authorities still implementing the Directive;
• Increase fragmentation of the Single Market through diverging national approaches; and
• Be based on insufficient evidence, as the Directive has not yet been fully implemented and its effectiveness cannot yet be meaningfully assessed.

As discussions on the forthcoming Circular Economy Act begin, the EU has an opportunity to develop a coherent and effective framework for circularity. Revising the SUPD in parallel would risk creating overlapping requirements, regulatory inconsistencies, and additional complexity for businesses.

At a time when the EU is prioritising competitiveness, regulatory simplification, and a stronger Single Market, legislative efforts should focus on the effective implementation and enforcement of existing rules before introducing further revisions.

Read the joint statement below.