The European Organization for Packaging and the Environment (EUROPEN), along with other 66 EU and national industry associations, are urging the EU to protect the free movement of packaged goods.
The loss of the internal market legal base will allow to frame different measures on packaging by member states, which will impact the free movement of packaged goods within the EU.
According to EUROPEN, the concern links to member states’ wish to change the legal base for the review of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) from the single market to environmental protection.
The co-signatories requesting EU policy-makers to continue the single market as sole legal base of the PPWD under the review of the circular economy package.
The change of legal base is expected to limit the free movement of packaging and packaged goods across the Europe. It is not in line with the fundamental policy objectives of the circular economy package.
EUROPEN chairman said Hans Van Bochove said: “At a time when the EU is facing unprecedented challenges, we urge all three EU Institutions to explicitly defend the free movement of goods.
“It is a core principle of the EU which should not be taken for granted and needs to be defended on a daily basis or it will be eroded.”
EUROPEN managing director Virginia Janssens said: “We support the environmental goals of the Circular Economy Package. However, it is not through the fragmentation of the Internal Market that these goals will be achieved.”
EUROPEN is an EU industry association in Brussels which will present the opinion of the packaging supply chain in Europe on issues related to packaging and the environment.
