The European Commission has announced plans to tighten controls on plastic imports in 2026 to support the EU’s struggling recycling industry, which has faced significant capacity losses due to cheap imports and high energy costs. Proposed legal measures will require stricter documentation for recycled plastic shipments and introduce separate customs codes to clearly distinguish recycled plastics from virgin materials entering the EU market.
In addition, Brussels plans to strengthen enforcement through audits of recycling facilities, expanded laboratory testing of imported plastics, and the creation of an import surveillance task force throughout 2026. These actions aim to prevent mislabelled plastics from undercutting European recyclers and to reinforce progress toward the EU’s broader circular economy objectives.
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