European Bioplastics (EUBP), representing the bioplastics value chain in Europe, welcomes the European Commission’s upcoming Circular Economy Act (CEA) as a cornerstone legislative file to accelerate Europe’s transition towards a resilient, resource-efficient, climate-neutral, and competitive bioeconomy.
The CEA provides a unique opportunity to align Europe’s circularity objectives with the defossilisation of materials, positioning the bioeconomy as a core pillar of the Clean Industrial Deal. Bioplastics—i.e. biobased, biodegradable, and compostable plastics—deliver complementary and alternative practical solutions to reduce fossil carbon dependency, enable circularity through organic, mechanical, and chemical recycling, and stimulate innovation, investment, and highly skilled jobs in Europe.
Circularity must go beyond traditional material recycling to fully align with the principles of the EU Circular Economy. Organic recycling, as recognised under the EU Waste Framework Directive, plays a key role in closing biological loops – which is critical for bringing about genuine circularity. Biodegradable and compostable plastics enable the process by supporting nutrient cycling, soil health and regeneration. In addition, it should be recognised that compostables are uniquely positioned to divert vast amounts of food waste away from landfill and incineration to the organic waste stream. To achieve real circularity, all sustainably sourced renewable feedstocks must be recognised and integrated into EU policy frameworks.
EUBP calls on the Commission to maintain strong ambition across all sustainability dimensions and to ensure that biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics are recognised as integral to the EU’s circular economy. The CEA must be fully coherent with the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, ensuring consistency across legislative files and providing a clear, enforceable legal framework that supports the creation of a genuine and competitive market for bioplastics in Europe.
