The Netherlands Advocates in Brussels for Support Package for Plastic Recyclers

His message: Europe must take necessary action, even in the short term, because our companies are currently under pressure. Without action, more companies will fail.

• The Commission has announced the Circular Economy Act, a new circular economy law. It will be released next year and is expected to provide relief for plastic recyclers. However, this process takes time.
• Dutch and European entrepreneurs already have to compete with cheap new plastic flooding the market due to low oil prices.
• This is not only unfair, it undermines our circular economy and puts the innovative, clean industry that has invested in the future at a disadvantage, as they must compete with very cheap plastic from outside the EU.
• The Netherlands chooses to protect its own industry: preferring to make new plastic from old PET bottles here, rather than from petroleum or dubious plastic imported from outside Europe.

• More mandatory use of recycled plastic and bioplastic for all products sold in the EU. Demand and market creation for innovative clean companies in the Netherlands and Europe. And rapid implementation of existing agreements for packaging and single-use plastics. Ensure predictable rules so entrepreneurs dare to invest. Think of clear rules about what counts as waste and what counts as a raw material when it comes to plastic. And calculation rules for chemical recycling: for example, how can a plastic packaging chemically recycled count as recycled plastic in a new packaging? Clear, unambiguous rules are needed.
• A level playing field: those who want to bring plastic to Europe must meet the same conditions as European companies. No dumping of cheap new plastic on our market.
• Broad support for circularity: demand for recycled plastic must increase and other legislation and financing instruments must also take circular entrepreneurs into account, such as the possibility to fiscally stimulate plastic recyclate.

State Secretary Aartsen (Public Transport and Environment): “Urgency is required. We are pressing for this in Brussels. We must protect our own entrepreneurs and industry. We have a treasure trove of raw materials here that we can reuse and we do not want to lose them. The announcement of the Circular Economy Act for next year is very important, but Brussels must act now and also look at what is possible in the short term, because our companies need support now. This is not only about a clean future but also about our strategic autonomy: preferring to make new plastic from recycled plastic here, rather than being dependent on petroleum or dubious plastic from other countries. Because the future of the Netherlands is a clean and strong economy, built on our own innovative industry.”

The statement was sent on behalf of Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Spain, and Austria as well.