The European Plastics Pact will wind up its current activities from 15 September 2023.
The European Plastics Pact was the first regional Pact to be established under the Global Plastics Pact network. Initially led by France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden, the European Plastics Pact was a public-private European network of companies, states and other organisations such as NGOs. The Pact launched in March 2020 with WRAP joining in April of the same year as the secretariat.
The Pact set ambitious common objectives and encouraged cooperation, innovation and harmonisation at a European level, working with pioneers and committed Governments to pave the way for a circular European plastic economy.
Despite the launch of the Pact coinciding with global coronavirus pandemic, by December 2021 the Pact had 150 signatories, from 21 countries including 18 Government signatories from 15 countries. As a regional initiative, the European Plastics Pact followed a unique operating model driven by its government members; business engagement was lower – in contrast to other pacts which are business-led.
The Steering Committee of the European Plastics Pact has taken the decision to wind up its current activities. The EU legislation and Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution provide a new opportunity to drive forward the plastics agenda in Europe, and multi-stakeholder collaborations like the European Plastics Pact could be a key part of implementation and as such could be revisited once the Treaty is mandated.
Over its lifetime The European Plastics Pact succeeded in delivering a number of its objectives.
- Working Groups brought industry, NGOs and Governments together to collaborate and advance the plastic waste agenda across Europe working through a common Roadmap.
- It established best practice and highlighted barriers and solutions with a view to creating a level playing field. For example, producing the report ‘Reducing virgin plastics products and packaging’.
- The Pact also created a space to share knowledge and learn about innovations, share insights and present reports to support the shift to a circular economy for plastics.
- Collaborating with the Circular Plastics Alliance to connect members on common themes such as labelling and Extended Producer Responsibility.
The Secretariat is engaging with national level pacts and is having conversations with the Circular Plastic Alliance to develop a legacy for the European Plastics Pact. The website and published resources will remain available on the European Plastics Pact website, and for use by other Plastics Pacts.
