EXPRA Newsletter – Second Quarter 2026

From 1 July 2026, harmonised EU criteria will define when recycled plastic stops being “waste” and can be placed on the market as a product. EXPRA, together with EPRO, has supported this harmonisation while calling for a realistic timeline, a broader scope and clear, achievable thresholds.

As the second quarter of 2026 draws to a close, Extended Producer Responsibility remains at the heart of Europe’s circular economy transition. With the PPWR moving towards its first application date and the Circular Economy Act gaining momentum, EXPRA published 11 key recommendations, set out its positions on the producer definition, consumer sorting labels and authorised representatives, and welcomed UK Packaging PRO to its network. From strong member results across Europe to progress on every continent where our members operate, this edition shows industry-led EPR investing, innovating and adapting to a fast-changing landscape.

UK Packaging PRO has joined EXPRA following its appointment as the Producer Responsibility Organisation for the United Kingdom’s packaging EPR scheme. Its producer-led, not-for-profit model creates an important opportunity to strengthen knowledge exchange and support the development of effective packaging EPR across the UK.

Citeo, Fost Plus, Verpact, Valorlux and Valipac — cooperating within the EXPRA-supported “BeNeFraLux” partnership — held their second steering committee in Paris. The partners are finalising a joint study on packaging recyclability and aligning their data models and PPWR implementation, in a deliberate shift from national action towards European convergence.