A group of European industry organisations has called on the European Commission and the Presidency of the Council of the European Union to apply the “Made in Europe” principle to recycled plastic content targets across relevant EU legislation. The signatories are Plastics Recyclers Europe, Recycling Europe, FEAD, Reloop and Green Dot (Der Grüne Punkt).
The appeal was addressed to Teresa Ribera Rodriguez, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, and the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
In their joint letter, the organisations argue that embedding “Made in Europe” recycled plastic content into regulatory targets would provide much-needed stability for the recycling sector and create durable demand for European recyclates. In their view, this would strengthen circularity, improve resource security and support the EU’s broader climate neutrality objectives.
The signatories stress that the issue has gained importance in the context of ongoing discussions around the Industrial Accelerator Act, where the concept of Union origin requirements is increasingly being considered as a strategic tool to reinforce European industrial autonomy, sustainability and competitiveness.
According to the associations, European recyclers are facing a severe and deepening recession that risks accelerating deindustrialisation. They argue that introducing “Made in Europe” requirements for recycled plastic content under applicable regulations would help stabilise demand, safeguard industrial capacity and reinforce Europe’s competitive position.
The letter also points to the implementing decision under the Single-Use Plastics Directive as proof that such an approach is both feasible and effective. In the organisations’ view, this regional sourcing logic should be maintained and replicated across future legislative instruments and sector-specific regulations that include recycled content targets.
The signatories therefore call on the Commission to ensure that “Made in Europe” criteria explicitly apply to recycled plastic content targets in all relevant legal frameworks, including future implementing acts. They describe this as a strategic industrial policy choice that is essential for building a competitive, resilient and genuinely circular European economy.
