The European Union is taking significant steps to bolster its plastics recycling industry at a time when domestic recyclers are facing mounting pressure from cheap imports and rising operational costs. In late 2025, the European Commission outlined a suite of proposed measures to tighten controls on plastic imports, strengthen compliance with recycled content claims, and help safeguard both the environment and European industry competitiveness.
At the heart of the proposed policy changes is the need to stop mislabelling of virgin plastics as recycled. Imported plastics, especially low‑cost virgin materials, are often presented as recycled content. This practice artificially depresses market prices and makes it extremely difficult for EU recyclers to compete. By tightening documentation requirements and improving oversight at the border, the Commission aims to ensure that only legitimately recycled materials enter the EU market and that recycled plastics have a clear, verifiable identity before they are traded or used in manufacturing.
To achieve this, the Commission plans to introduce new customs codes that differentiate recycled plastics from virgin plastics, making tracking and enforcement more effective. This mechanism is intended to help customs authorities and market surveillance bodies clearly distinguish between different kinds of polymer imports and ensure that recycled materials are not falsely declared. Alongside this, audits of recycling facilities, both within Europe and internationally, will be a key part of verifying that imported recyclates meet EU standards. Support for laboratory testing to confirm the authenticity of recycled content will further strengthen compliance and contribute to a more transparent, trusted supply chain for recycled materials.
These import control plans are part of a broader policy trajectory aimed at deepening the circular economy for plastics in Europe. The EU has long recognised the environmental and economic value of transitioning away from a linear “take‑make‑dispose” model toward a system where materials are reused and recycled continuously. The European Plastics Strategy, adopted in 2018, set out ambitious goals for improving how plastics are designed, produced, and recycled. It emphasised reducing plastic waste, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and decreasing reliance on imported fossil fuels by encouraging the use of recycled materials.
The EU’s evolving regulatory landscape also includes updates to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and other waste and recycling frameworks that set minimum recycling targets for different materials, including plastics. For example, member states are required to make plastic packaging recyclable and increase the amount of recycled content used in packaging by 2030. These reforms support the EU’s broader objectives under the Circular Economy Action Plan, which aims to keep plastics and other materials in a closed‑loop system, creating more resilient supply chains and reducing environmental pollution.
Separately, the EU has signalled its intent to improve how recycled content is calculated and verified, including for chemically recycled plastics. This is a critical step, as recycled content targets become binding across sectors such as beverage bottles and automotive plastics. By establishing clear methodologies for calculating recycled content, the Commission seeks to encourage investment in recycling technologies and provide certainty for producers and converters who are integrating recyclates into their products.
From an industrial perspective, these policy changes aim to level the playing field between imported materials and European recyclers. Anti‑dumping actions, duties on cheap PET imports, and stricter documentation requirements support a stronger domestic recycling sector capable of meeting ambitious EU targets for recycled content and material circularity. For businesses involved in plastics production, conversion, and recycling, understanding and adapting to these regulatory changes will be crucial. Enhanced import controls, clear recycled content standards, and more robust enforcement mechanisms are set to reshape supply chains and influence how polymers are traded, sourced, and brought into manufacturing processes across Europe.
For Plastrans Technologies, this evolving regulatory landscape reinforces the importance of supplying high-quality, reliable polymer raw materials, including certified recycled polymers. Companies like ours, which provide technical guidance and support to converters, are in a strong position to help customers navigate these changes, ensuring compliance with EU standards while promoting sustainable and circular material solutions. By focusing on traceable, compliant materials and advising customers on best practices, Plastrans can contribute to a more resilient and sustainable European plastics industry.
