According to the statutory requirements, the Organization’s annual accounts, the annual financial statements and the accountant’s opinion were approved. The Managing Director also presented to the members the Organization’s New strategic framework, including two major building blocks: “Operational excellence” and “Thought leadership”, accompanied by a targeted communications strategy aiming at raising EXPRA’s profile towards external audiences. As practical example of these efforts will be the Green Book on Innovation currently being developed (collecting best practices in innovation form all EXPRA members).
EXPRA Member were also informed about the state of play in the transposition of the new Waste Legislation as well as the on-going developments with regards to the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive. From the planned IAs and Das only the Implementing Act (IA) on calculation, verification and reporting of data is to be finalised in April, while the other planned acts will be delayed possibly within the second half of the year. The new measurement of recycling and its consequences – Implemented act on how to measure and average loss rates were presented by Paul Christiaens, Dutch Afvalfonds / Chair WG Data & Reporting. He also informed the members about the impact of these acts on the different stakeholders/processes, including operational changes.
As having the General Assembly in Spain, EXPRA’s Spanish members, Ecoembes and ECOVIDRIO presented the situation in Spain regarding the national and new EU waste legislation. They presented the achievements of the two organizations as well as the challenges they are facing which should be met with regulation with technical thoroughness and political intelligence.
Amanda Fuso Nerini, CONAI, Chair of the Packaging and Sustainability WG presented the great project of the WG – Packaging for recycling (P4R). This is an online toolkit, developed per material and waste management stage, and provides information on recycling systems in Europe as well as the collection, sorting and recycling aspects/specifics of the different types of packaging. The website provides a dynamic online information tool aimed at allowing users to self-assess the recyclability of their packaging, according to a roadmap based on the following four recyclability critical control points: design, labelling, collection and sorting.
Maryse Vermette from EXPRA Canadian member – EEQ, presented the The Plastic Solutions Forum, aiming to present and promote new approaches based on technologies and processes developed through polymer research, contribute to speeding up innovations in the recycling of plastic packaging and establish relations and projects between these start-ups and investors, as well as with contributing companies.