The new measures aim to make packaging used in the EU safer and more sustainable by requiring all packaging to be recyclable, minimising the presence of harmful substances, reducing the amount of unnecessary packaging, increasing the consumption of recycled content and improving collection and recycling.

Less packaging and restriction of certain packaging formats

The agreement sets packaging reduction targets (5 % by 2030, 10 % by 2035 and 15 % by 2040) and requires EU countries to reduce plastic packaging waste in particular.

Under the agreement, certain formats of single-use plastic packaging, such as packaging for unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables, packaging for food and drinks filled and consumed in cafes and restaurants, individual portions (e.g. condiments, sauces, cream, sugar), accommodation miniature packaging for toiletries and shrink wrap for suitcases at airports would be banned from 1 January 2030. (More on europarl.europa.eu)