Broad coalition supports Belgium with plan against packaging waste
More than 50 Belgian and European organisations – environmental and consumer associations, circular economy actors, cities and municipalities – welcome the ambition of the regional ministers to make Belgium a pioneer in the prevention of packaging waste.
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Ambitious measures to meet European targets
By revising packaging legislation in anticipation of the new European regulation (PPWR), which comes into force in August this year, the Belgian ministers are taking an important and logical step:making producers legally responsiblefor achieving prevention targets and introducing a“prevention contribution” of 50 euros per non-prevented tonneonly payable if the European targets are not met from 2030 onwards.
Logical, because these measures are in line with Europe, which asks Member States to take the necessary measures to achieve the prevention targets, “by means of economic instruments and other measures to provide incentives for the application of the waste hierarchy, including measures to be implemented through extended producer responsibility schemes”(PPWR Regulation, Recital 121).
This measure sends a clear signal: prevention must take priority over the throwaway economy. The funds generated through the contribution would enable the regions to finance reuse, bulk, and refill solutions, thereby accelerating the transition to a true circular economy.
The strong support of an eclectic coalition
Belgium is on the verge of releasing the necessary resources to live up to its packaging prevention ambitions. The signatories of the letter applaud the Belgian ambitions and call on the Belgian policymakers to maintain these measures at all costs during the revision of the interuniversity cooperation agreement on packaging.
Chloé Schwizgebel, Fair Resource Foundation: “If the governments of the three regions truly want to make Belgium a pioneer in the circular economy, it is time for them to put their money where their mouth is. That is exactly what they intend to do, by applying the ‘polluter pays’ principle to the field of packaging waste prevention. It is up to them to stand firm and not give in to pressure from the federations that want them to go back on their promises.”
The signatory organisations call on the ministers of the three regions to lead by example by maintaining a strong position.
Belgium can take the lead in Europe and further strengthen its position as a frontrunner in the circular economy.
