European Industry Associations Urge EU to Retain Current Single-Use Plastics Directive

Joint statement says revising the SUPD would be premature due to limited implementation data, regulatory fragmentation and overlapping EU legislation.

A coalition of European industry associations has urged EU institutions not to reopen the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), stating that the current legislation should remain unchanged while its implementation continues across Member States.

In a joint statement issued on 1 July 2026 in Brussels, the associations said they support efforts to ensure the SUPD delivers measurable environmental outcomes but believe a revision would be premature given the current stage of implementation.

Limited Evidence for Revising the Directive

According to the statement, there is currently insufficient evidence to justify a revision of the SUPD because several of its provisions have not yet been fully implemented.

The associations noted that the first report on the implementation of the SUPD, published in April 2026, provides only partial information. They said reporting methods are not harmonised across Member States, making meaningful comparisons difficult.

They also highlighted that Member States and other European Economic Area (EEA) countries have only reported data on single-use plastic products placed on the market in 2022, using different indicators.

Since the Directive's consumption reduction target applies to 2026, the associations stated that no data are yet available to assess whether the target has been achieved.

Concerns Over Regulatory Fragmentation

The statement said the transposition of the SUPD has resulted in regulatory fragmentation, uneven enforcement and instances of gold-plating across Member States.

According to the associations, differing national rules have created uncertainty for businesses operating in multiple countries, increased compliance costs and affected the functioning of the EU Single Market.

They argued that these issues should be addressed before considering any revision of the Directive.

Legal Certainty for Businesses

The associations said revising the SUPD while many of its provisions are still being implemented would create legal uncertainty for both companies and Member States.

Although the Directive entered into force in mid-2021, several of its provisions apply at later dates. In addition, the European Commission has only recently adopted some implementing decisions and guidance relating to the current legislation.

The statement noted that changing the Directive during this implementation phase could delay investment decisions and create uncertainty over future regulatory requirements during a revision process expected to take 2–3 years.

Avoiding Overlap with Other EU Legislation

The associations also cautioned against revising the SUPD while the Ecodesign Regulation, Packaging Regulation and discussions on the Circular Economy Act (CEA) are progressing.

They said these legislative frameworks cover related areas and that parallel revisions could result in overlapping or conflicting provisions, affecting legal certainty and the effective functioning of the Single Market.

The statement also recalled that the SUPD is a lex specialis in relation to Regulation (EU) 2025/40 and, in the event of any conflict, should prevail within the scope of its application.

Call to EU Policymakers

The associations urged EU policymakers to prioritise legislative efforts where they are most needed and avoid reopening a legislative framework that, according to the statement, has not yet produced sufficient implementation results.