A joint statement signed by EUROPEN, Plastics Europe, European Plastics Converters (EuPC), European Plastic Films (EuPF) and AIM, the European Brands Association urges EU policymakers not to reopen the Single-Use Plastics Directive and create legal uncertainty.
The signatories acknowledge that the Directive must make ‘measurable and meaningful’ environmental progress, they caution that reopening the text will cause legal confusion, increase the risk of overlaps or contradictions with other legislation, and place a ‘disproportionate’ burden on economic operators as they navigate other national transpositions.
They argue that there is not sufficient evidence to justify a revision and such a move would be ‘premature’. While an initial report on the state of implementation was published in April 2026, it remains partial – and without a harmonized approach to reporting, the signatories point out that data cannot be compared across countries.
An impact assessment cannot be carried out when several of the Directive’s provisions are not yet in place, the signatories say. Its transposition has reportedly caused ‘significant’ regulatory fragmentation so far, with uneven enforcement and gold-plating creating uncertainty for companies operating across multiple Member States.
The patchwork of national rules is feared to threaten the integrity of the Single Market, increase compliance costs, and fall short of proportionate environmental benefits. The signatories urge policymakers to recognize these factors in an evaluation of the Directive, undertaken before the text is reopened.
Additionally, the European Commission has only recently adopted some of the implementing decisions and guidelines set out in the current Directive. Changing the legal text at this time would create uncertainty around its scope and targets and result in investment delays of 2-3 years, the signatories warn.
At the same time, the Ecodesign and Packaging Regulations are still being implemented, and negotiations on the Circular Economy Act are beginning. If the Single-Use Plastics Directive is revised at the same time, the risk of duplicated or conflicting provisions is expected to increase.
“Even if the EU Commission ensured full coherence in its proposal, the co-legislators could still introduce provisions that diverge from or contradict the SUPD framework, further undermining legal certainty and the functioning of the Single Market,” the statement reads.
As such, the signatories urge policymakers to ‘focus legislative efforts where they are most needed and avoid reopening a framework that has yet to deliver concrete results.’
This development comes in the wake of various industry statements surrounding the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. Back in April, multiple industry CEOs urged the European Commission to extend the upcoming deadline to phase out per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) and undertake a targeted review of its plastic shrink wrap restrictions.
Since then, a joint call backed by 200 companies has asked the Commission not to reopen the text – raising secondary legislation as the ‘appropriate mechanism’ to streamline the Regulation’s methodologies, definitions, and requirements.
Systemiq, Eunomia, Circle Economy and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation have led twenty-two financial investors in making the same request. In their view, packaging-related environmental costs could rise from €6 billion in 2018 to €17 billion by 2040 if the Regulation is not implemented – whereas a well-functioning regulation could unlock new economic opportunities.
A coalition of retailers and wholesalers led by EuroCommerce has also doubled down on the call, requesting a twelve-month grace period and further clarification on the upcoming legal deadlines. They assert that the transition period should prioritize guidance and support over enforcement and punitive action.
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