New packaging legislation strengthens recycled content requirements and aims to create a genuine single market for secondary raw materials
The European Union is entering the operational phase of its new packaging regulation, accelerating the use of secondary raw materials and the creation of a more integrated recycling market. Newly launched implementing measures introduce harmonised criteria for the use of recycled plastics and for the qualification of recovered materials, aiming to overcome regulatory fragmentation among Member States.
The updated framework strengthens minimum recycled-content requirements, particularly for plastic packaging, to boost industrial demand and support investments in recycling and recovery infrastructure. Establishing common standards to recognise recycled materials as equivalent to virgin ones is a strategic step to reduce dependence on imports and ensure stable, competitive supply chains across Europe.
For Italy, already among the EU’s top performers in recycling, the consolidation of a single market for secondary raw materials represents a major industrial opportunity for consortia and recovery companies. Uniform rules will facilitate cross‑border circulation of recycled materials and stimulate new investments, turning recycling into a true European industrial market and reinforcing the Union’s strategic autonomy.
