EU Plans Stricter Plastic Import Controls to Protect Recycling Sector

The European Union is preparing new measures to tighten controls on plastic imports in an effort to support its struggling recycling industry and strengthen the bloc’s circular economy ambitions. The plastics recycling sector lost more processing capacity in 2025 than at any previous time, driven by competition from cheap imports and rising energy costs, prompting calls for regulatory intervention.

At the centre of the planned action is a proposal to require significantly stricter documentation for recycled plastic entering the EU market.

Under the upcoming legal changes, importers will need to provide detailed, verifiable information on the origin, composition and processing history of materials to ensure that declared recycled plastics are genuine and not mislabelled virgin plastics.

This step is intended to improve traceability and close loopholes that have allowed low-quality imports to undercut European producers.

Another key element under consideration is the introduction of separate customs codes for virgin plastic and recycled plastic shipments. By categorising imports more precisely, authorities aim to enhance monitoring and enforcement, enabling customs officials to better identify and respond to irregular trade patterns that could harm domestic recycling facilities.

To complement paperwork and coding changes, the European Commission also plans to increase oversight of facilities supplying recycled plastics, including audits of operations both inside and outside the EU. These efforts, expected to begin in the first half of 2026, reflect policymakers’ determination to level the playing field for European recyclers and contribute to broader climate and resource-efficiency objectives.

Stricter plastic-import controls affect global recycled-material trade flows, and they directly change the economics of European recycling infrastructure and downstream packaging producers. Our circular-economy and supply-chain-and-operations teams help clients evaluate what these import controls mean for sourcing strategy and circular-economy positioning.