Brussels, 29 May 2017 – On the eve of the start of inter-institutional negotiations on the EU Circular Economy Package, EUROPEN and 59 other EU and national industry associations, representing a vast range of sectors, have released a joint statement urging the EU to safeguard the free movement of packaged goods. The high number of co-signatories is proof of a deep concern about Member States paving the way to effectively renationalise packaging policy in the near future, opening the door to the loss of the Single Market for all packaged goods.
This high level of concern relates to Member States’ wish to change the legal base for the review of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) from the Single Market to Environmental Protection, laying the foundation for a Pandora’s box of diverging national regulations. The co-signatories urge EU policy-makers to retain the Single Market as sole legal base of the PPWD, as part of the review of the Circular Economy Package
“At a time when the EU is facing unprecedented challenges, we urge all three EU Institutions to explicitly defend the free movement of goods. It is a core principle of the EU which should not be taken for granted and needs to be defended on a daily basis or it will be eroded,” said Hans Van Bochove, Coca-Cola, Chairman of EUROPEN. “Member States will be shooting themselves in the foot if they allow the Single Market for packaged goods to unravel. We would quickly end up with a patchwork of disparate national rules on packaging ending the free movement of goods and leading to trade issues between EU Member States.”
“This is not just a technical, legal question that can be swept under the carpet,” said Virginia Janssens, Managing Director of EUROPEN. “This is an important political question with serious consequences for Member States, businesses and consumers. We support the environmental goals of the Circular Economy Package. However, it is not through the fragmentation of the Internal Market that these goals will be achieved. On the contrary, a strengthened EU Single Market with the proper functioning of trade across the EU is essential to provide the necessary scale in supply chains, operations, investment and innovation for successful Circular Economy solutions.”
