In this issue
- The European Commission opened a feedback period on a delegated regulation establishing a list of non-OECD countries authorised to import certain non-hazardous waste from the EU, and the new Waste Shipment Regulation bans the export of non-hazardous waste to non-OECD countries from 21 May 2027.
- The UK published draft Regulations and a draft reference document on chemical recycling and adoption of a mass balance approach for Plastic Packaging Tax for technical consultation on 6 October 2026.
- The feedback period for the planned PPWR implementing act on rules for the calculation and verification of recycled content in plastic packaging ran from 14 August 2026 to 16 September 2026.
- A public feedback period on the PPWR delegated act establishing sustainability criteria for plastic recycling technologies ran from 14 August 2026 to 16 September 2026 and is closed.
What changed
European Union
PPWR
What happened (2026-08-14): A feedback period on a planned implementing act ran from 14 August 2026 to 16 September 2026.
- Stage: no change (
in-application) - Affects: recyclers, converters, brand-owners, retailers, importers
- Next: None stated in the source.
- Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/18752_en · review
2026-10-14-003
Source quote
foreseenActType: DEC_IMPL initiativeStatus: ACTIVE frontEndStage: PLANNING_WORKFLOW; receivingFeedbackStatus: CLOSED; feedbackStartDate: 2026/08/14 10:48:30; feedbackEndDate: 2026/09/16 23:59:59
PPWR
What happened (2026-09-10): The feedback period for the implementing rules on packaging and packaging waste opened on 6 August 2026 and closed on 10 September 2026.
- Stage: no change (
in-application) - Affects: recyclers, converters, brand-owners, retailers, importers
- Next: None stated in the source.
- Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/15352_en · review
2026-10-14-005
Source quote
frontEndStage: ISC_WORKFLOW; receivingFeedbackStatus: CLOSED; feedbackStartDate: 2026/08/06 15:24:00; feedbackEndDate: 2026/09/10 23:59:59
PPWR
What happened (2026-09-14): A Commission Implementing Decision on harmonised packaging and packaging waste labels under Regulation (EU) 2025/40 is planned as a Commission implementing decision (reference Ares(2026)8548456). The initiative status is active and the front-end stage is ‘INIT_PLANNED’; receiving feedback is disabled, with a listed feedback start date of 14 September 2026.
- Stage: no change (
in-application) - Affects: recyclers, converters, brand-owners, retailers, importers
- Next: None stated in the source.
- Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/19243_en · review
2026-10-14-010
Source quote
shortTitle: Commission Implementing Decision on harmonised packaging and packaging waste labels under Regulation (EU) 2025/40 reference: Ares(2026)8548456 foreseenActType: DEC_IMPL initiativeStatus: ACTIVE frontEndStage: INIT_PLANNED; receivingFeedbackStatus: DISABLED; feedbackStartDate: 2026/09/14 16:56:00; feedbackEndDate: None
Waste Shipment Regulation
What happened (2026-09-15): The feedback period for the initiative ‘Green-listing certain waste for the purposes of shipments to recovery between Member States’ closed on 15 September 2026.
- Stage: no change (
in-application) - Affects: recyclers, waste-traders, exporters
- Next: None stated in the source.
- Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/14712_en · review
2026-10-14-008
Source quote
frontEndStage: ISC_WORKFLOW; receivingFeedbackStatus: CLOSED; feedbackStartDate: 2026/08/18 15:16:00; feedbackEndDate: 2026/09/15 23:59:59
PPWR
What happened (2026-09-16): The feedback period for the planned implementing act on rules for the calculation and verification of recycled content in plastic packaging ran from 14 August 2026 to 16 September 2026.
- Stage: no change (
in-application) - Affects: recyclers, converters, brand-owners, retailers, importers
- Next: None stated in the source.
- Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/18753_en · review
2026-10-14-009
Source quote
Plastic packaging – harmonisation of rules for calculating and verifying recycled content in plastic packaging This act will ensure uniform rules for implementing … calculation and verification of the percentage of recycled content in plastic packaging recovered from post-consumer plastic waste recycled and collected within the Union
PPWR
What happened (2026-09-16): A public feedback period on the delegated act establishing sustainability criteria for plastic recycling technologies ran from 14 August 2026 to 16 September 2026; feedback is closed.
- Stage: no change (
in-application) - Affects: recyclers, converters, brand-owners, retailers, importers
- Next: None stated in the source.
- Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/19033_en · review
2026-10-14-011
Source quote
frontEndStage: PLANNING_WORKFLOW; receivingFeedbackStatus: CLOSED; feedbackStartDate: 2026/08/14 10:48:59; feedbackEndDate: 2026/09/16 23:59:59
snippet: requires the Commission to create sustainability rules for plastic recycling technologies.
Waste Shipment Regulation
What happened (2026-09-18): The European Commission opened a feedback period from 18 September 2026 to 16 October 2026 on a delegated regulation establishing a list of non-OECD countries authorised to import certain non-hazardous waste from the EU. The new Waste Shipment Regulation bans the export of non-hazardous waste to non-OECD countries from 21 May 2027.
- Stage: no change (
in-application) - Affects: recyclers, waste-traders, exporters
- Next: None stated in the source.
- Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/14861_en · review
2026-10-14-004
Source quote
shortTitle: List of non-OECD countries that are authorized to import certain non-hazardous waste from the EU reference: Ares(2025)7729795 foreseenActType: REG_DEL initiativeStatus: ACTIVE frontEndStage: ISC_WORKFLOW; receivingFeedbackStatus: OPEN; feedbackStartDate: 2026/09/18 11:38:36; feedbackEndDate: 2026/10/16 23:59:59
Public Procurement Regulation
What happened (2026-09-15): A public feedback period on the revision of EU rules on public procurement is open from 15 September 2026 to 9 December 2026.
- Stage: no change (
proposal) - Affects: recyclers, converters, brand-owners, public-buyers
- Next: None stated in the source.
- Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/15492_en · review
2026-10-14-012
Source quote
receivingFeedbackStatus: OPEN; feedbackStartDate: 2026/09/15 00:40:14; feedbackEndDate: 2026/12/09 23:59:59
Waste Framework Directive
What happened (2026-09-28): A feedback period for the Early warning report on waste 2027 opened on 28 September 2026 and is open until 26 October 2026.
- Stage: no change (
in-application) - Affects: recyclers, brand-owners, municipalities
- Next: None stated in the source.
- Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/17712_en · review
2026-10-14-007
Source quote
frontEndStage: PLANNING_WORKFLOW; receivingFeedbackStatus: OPEN; feedbackStartDate: 2026/09/28 10:32:00; feedbackEndDate: 2026/10/26 23:59:59
United Kingdom
UK Plastic Packaging Tax
What happened (2026-10-06): On 6 October 2026, draft Regulations and a draft reference document on chemical recycling and adoption of a mass balance approach for Plastic Packaging Tax were published for technical consultation. The draft Regulations set out the conditions that businesses must meet to use a mass balance approach to account for chemically recycled plastic from 1 April 2027, including certification, auditing, monitoring and record-keeping requirements.
- Stage: no change (
in-application) - Affects: converters, importers, brand-owners, recyclers
- Next: None stated in the source.
- Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/draft-legislation-plastic-packaging-tax-chemical-recycling-and-adoption-of-a-mass-balance-approach · review
2026-10-14-013
Source quote
The draft Regulations set out the conditions that businesses must meet if they wish to use a mass balance approach to account for chemically recycled plastic for Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) purposes from 1 April 2027. The draft reference document sets out the methodology for applying dual-use factors where required. Both should be read alongside the relevant provisions of the Finance Act 2021, as amended by the Finance Act 2026, in particular sections 49, 49A and 49B.
Upcoming deadlines (next 60 days)
| Date | Dossier | What | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-16 | Waste Shipment Regulation | Feedback period on the delegated regulation ends. | key date |
| 2026-10-19 | Oregon RMA | Comment deadline on CAA’s third program plan amendment. | expected |
| 2026-10-26 | Waste Framework Directive | Feedback period for the Early warning report on waste 2027 ends. | key date |
| 2026-10-30 | Oregon RMA | Comment deadline on the third RMA rulemaking. | expected |
| 2026-11-01 | China recycled-plastic standards | GB/T 47982-2026 (chain of custody for recycled plastics) takes effect. | key date |
| 2026-11-21 | Waste Shipment Regulation | Export ban on plastic waste (entry B3011) to countries outside the OECD Decision applies (Art. 39(1)(d)). | key date |
| 2026-12 | Circular Economy Act | DG Environment states the Circular Economy Act is due for adoption in 2026. | expected |
| 2026-12-09 | Public Procurement Regulation | Feedback period end date. | key date |
Subscribe to all dates: calendar.ics
Dossiers with no change
29 dossiers unchanged
- Basel plastic waste amendments —
in-application - Global plastics treaty (INC) —
trilogue - Circular Economy Act —
consultation - ELVR —
in-force - Food-contact recycled plastics (2022/1616) —
in-application - Industrial Accelerator Act —
proposal - Pellet Losses Regulation —
in-force - Plastics end-of-waste criteria —
consultation - REACH microplastics restriction —
in-application - SUPD —
implementing-acts - WEEE Directive —
in-application - Germany VerpackG / VerpackDG —
adopted - Spain packaging EPR and plastic tax —
in-application - France IMPR recycled-plastic bonus —
in-application - Italy plastic tax —
adopted - Verpact fee modulation —
in-application - Sweden packaging EPR —
in-application - UK Deposit Return Scheme —
in-force - UK packaging EPR —
in-application - California SB 54 —
in-application - Colorado packaging EPR —
in-application - US federal procurement (GSAR SUP-free packaging) —
in-application - Maryland packaging EPR —
implementing-acts - Maine packaging EPR —
implementing-acts - Minnesota packaging EPR —
adopted - Oregon RMA —
in-application - Washington packaging EPR —
implementing-acts - China plastic pollution control —
in-application - China recycled-plastic standards —
in-application
Resources
- All dossiers — filter by jurisdiction, topic, stage and impact
- Calendar and .ics feed
- How we verify
- Official portals: EUR-Lex, Legislative Observatory, Have Your Say, Federal Register, UNEP INC
Verification. Every item above passed four layers of checks. Read this issue’s review report. 2 item(s) were held back for human review and are not included.