Legislation

On 29th August 2024, the Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister (ZSVR) updated the minimum standard for recyclable packaging, incorporating new categories of materials. In addition to the traditional polyethylene (PE) and polyamide (PA) barrier films, films containing ethylene-vinyl-alcohol copolymer (EVOH) are now recognised as recyclable.

The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) has announced its support for the COPPA project, led by the German plastics research centre SKZ, aimed at promoting the safe use of recycled plastics in food packaging. Digitalisation and the implementation of transparent product tracking systems are essential for ensuring the quality and safety of the materials used.

Plastic labels and liners, although smaller and thinner than the overall packaging, play a significant role in the waste stream. They are an integral part of the packaging and essential for conveying product information, but pose a number of problems at the recycling stage.

In a joint press release issued on 15 February, EuPC, IK and Elipso expressed the legal opinion that the special rules for plastic packaging and the exemptions for other packaging materials discussed in the planned EU regulation (PPWR) are most likely incompatible with EU law.

For the world of food, and in particular fruit and vegetables, the impact of the vote on the Packaging Regulation has considerable weight, especially when it comes to exports and food waste, two aspects little considered in the green-inspired institutional debate that has been animating the packaging sector for months. M. Costanza Candi

This is the leitmotif characterising Anuga 2023 by Koelnmesse (Cologne, 7-11 October), a theme which is more topical today than ever given the global challenges we face, such as climate change, scarcity of resources and demographic growth.

Single market at risk with increasing difficulties imposed on industry and manufacturing to adapt.

With the approval of the amendments on the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the European Parliament's vote on Wednesday 22 November 2023 goes in the desired direction, having accepted the proposals made forward by Italy - a leader in Europe for waste recycling capacity - on the most controversial issues of the regulation.

Pro Food, a member of Confindustria (the Italian Confederation of Industry), which brings together 14 Italian manufacturers of plastic containers for the packaging, distribution and consumption of food and drink, submitted its comments on PPWR.

"After the fundamental intervention of the European parliamentarians and the strong pressure of the trade associations, the long-awaited corrective measures to the proposed EU regulation on packaging and packaging waste, which in its original formulation would have had serious repercussions on the country's main production chains and, in particular, on the thousands of companies that contribute with their work to the prestige of Italian products all over the world, have arrived", said the president of Copagri, Tommaso Battista, the day after the European Parliament approved the report on the trialogue. This was stated by Tommaso Battista, president of Copagri, the association of Italian agricultural producers, the day after the European Parliament approved the report giving the go-ahead for trialogues with the European Commission and the EU Council.