Twenty German associations are calling for changes to some of the provisions of the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) as part of the revision process ahead of the final vote in the European Parliament in the autumn. The changes concern the re-use of transport packaging.
In April this year, the new PPWR was approved by the European Parliament (EP) by provisional agreement. Now, as with all new legislation, the Regulation is going through a process of scrutiny by legal-linguists before a final vote in the autumn EP plenary and subsequent confirmation by the Council.
Some international associations, such as the Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance(EXPRA), of which the Czech company EKO-KOM a.s. is a member, had already discussed the controversial provisions concerning the reuse of transport packaging with Commissioner Sinkevičius before the provisional PPWR agreement was approved. In his comments, the latter promised to address the requests for amendments by means of delegated acts, which will, however, only follow during the PPWR's entry into force and after the evaluation of expert analyses.
But European industry does not want to wait for the Commission's promise. It needs a clear and stable legal environment. That is why, a few days ago, twenty German associations sent a letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demanding that the PPWR be corrected as a matter of urgency under the Corrigenda.
The approved provisional agreement requires reuse in the EU from 2030 for industrial and commercial transport packaging. According to the associations, such a ban on the use of disposable transport packaging will have a significant impact on all supply chains in Europe. There are no reusable packaging solutions in the transport sector. The options available are not environmentally friendly or economical and do not meet the necessary transport safety requirements.
The Associations therefore request that the re-use obligation for industrial, commercial and horticultural transport packaging in Article 29(1) to (3) be deleted in the PPWR revision.
For example, in practice, pallet wraps and straps, which ensure the safe transport of almost all goods carried on pallets, would have to be 100% reusable from 2030 if they are intended for the same purpose and are used between company branches or partner organisations within the EU (Article 29(2) and (3)). However, these pallet wraps and straps cannot be reused. They are recycled after each use and contribute to the recycling targets and future quotas for recycled content. Transport pallet wrapping material is indispensable; without it, transport safety is not guaranteed.
The proposed modification for transport packaging is justified and can be expected to be complied with. It is one of the first requests for a corrigendum. Given the large number of critical comments on the PPWR, we can expect to see other proposed corrections during the legislative process starting in December 2023.
Letter from the German associations to the President of the EC below.
(source: obaly21.cz)
