Reacting to key vote on End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation, Plastics Europe urges for ambitious recycling targets

Virginia Janssens, Managing Director at Plastics Europe said: 

“While we welcome the Parliament’s call for a 20% recycled target in new vehicles, we believe that the Commission’s proposal of 25% is not only achievable but essential.

A 25% target would help create the market pull essential for a thriving circular economy, but reaching it requires urgent action: clear policies that attract investment in circular plastics, cut red tape, and ensure a global level playing field for European industry.

Moreover, we are concerned by the exclusion of bio-based plastics from the End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation (ELVR) targets. This is a missed opportunity. A future-proof policy framework must recognise the role of plastics made from sustainable sources, such as bio-based feedstocks.

To prioritise recycling, we recommend limiting the contribution of bio-based and carbon capture–based plastics to no more than 5% of the overall target; a balanced approach we hope to see reflected in the final legislation.

Today, plastics from biomass make up just 1% of material use by converters¹, largely due to high costs and weak policy support. The solution? Smart, targeted incentives to unlock sustainable and circular plastics, including bio-based plastics, at scale.

We urge legislators to seize this opportunity and deliver a regulation that drives investment and ensures that Europe remains a leader in sustainable mobility and materials.”

Source

Plastics Europe, press release, 2025-07-08.

Supplier

European Commission
European Union
Plastics Europe

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