Europe’s recycling system can only be effective if it is built on accurate data, fair rules, and transparent waste management — but current EU policy allows imported plastic waste to count toward European recycling targets, creating a gap between reported progress and real circularity.

Who is impacted?

Millions of Europeans are directly affected by how recycling is regulated. Recycling workers, local waste collectors, manufacturers, and communities rely on a system that is consistent, transparent, and supportive of long-term investment. Today, imported plastic waste is allowed to count toward EU recycling and recycled-content targets. This reduces access to EU-collected materials, increasing pressure on recyclers, weakening job stability, and limiting Europe’s ability to process its own waste responsibly.

What is at stake?

If Europe (EU27+EFTA+UK) continues counting imported plastic waste toward its targets without necessary compliance verification and proper enforcement, Europe risks undermining years of progress toward a credible circular economy. European-generated waste will be unprocessed while Europe still appears to meet its goals. This creates market distortion, reduces trust in recycling performance, and discourages investment. Ensuring that only European-collected waste counts toward Europe's targets is essential to protect recycling capacity, guarantee data accuracy, ensure fair competition, and maintain the thousands of jobs supported by the sector. 

Why is now the time to act?

Europe is entering a critical implementation phase of the Packaging, Packaging Waste Regulation, Single-Use Plastics Directive, and broader circular-economy frameworks. Companies are preparing major investments, but they need clear and predictable rules. Acting now to align recycling targets while reducing the amount of waste generated in Europe is essential. At the same time, it is important to recognise that the circular economy goes beyond recycling alone. Reflecting the broader measures set out in the PPWR — including waste prevention, reuse, improved design, and enhanced traceability — will strengthen supply chains, increase transparency, and secure Europe’s capacity to advance its circular economy objectives. This represents a timely and practical step that supports competitiveness, reinforces accountability, and delivers long-term environmental impact.

Why This Call Is Grounded in ESG Principles

This petition is based on clear Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles that support a credible, fair, and effective circular economy.

• Environmental responsibility: Counting only European-generated plastic waste ensures that Europe (EU27+EFTA+UK) takes responsibility for its own waste footprint. It strengthens local recycling capacity, reduces reliance on waste exports, and helps prevent plastic pollution — including leakage into rivers, coastlines, and oceans.
• Social responsibility: Prioritising -Europe-collected waste supports European recycling jobs, fair competition, and long-term investment in local infrastructure. It avoids shifting environmental and social impacts to other regions and reinforces shared responsibility across Europe (EU27+EFTA+UK).
• Good governance: Accurate data, traceability, and policy consistency are essential for effective regulation. Aligning recycling and recycled-content targets with -Europe-generated waste improves transparency, accountability, and trust — ensuring that reported progress reflects real outcomes.

By reinforcing environmental protection, social fairness, and transparent governance, this approach supports the foundations of a truly circular economy.

A stronger, more transparent circular economy depends on clear and consistent rules.
We call on European policymakers to ensure that only Europe-collected plastic waste counts toward Europe (EU27+EFTA+UK)  recycling and recycled-content targets.

Sign this petition to support accurate, fair, and reliable recycling policy in Europe (EU27+EFTA+UK).
Share it with your network to help strengthen Europe’s circular economy.

Together, we can support a system that reflects real progress and protects Europe’s recycling future.

This campaign is supported by Plastics Recyclers Europe and Zero Waste Europe.

Learn more: https://circularplasticseurope.com

Important Note:

In the context of this campaign, "Circular Plastics” primarily refers to recycled plastics. However, circularity  and the circular economy more broadly goes far beyond recycling. It is about the strategic and responsible management of resources throughout their entire lifecycle, including changes in production processes that enable waste prevention, reuse, repair, refurbishment, and remanufacturing.

This campaign promotes the effective achievement of European recycled content targets and related circular economy obligations through the prioritised use of EU-generated waste streams. It recognises that these targets derive from the broader EU legislative framework, including — but not limited to — the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), and other relevant EU waste and product legislation applicable across Europe (EU27+EFTA+UK).