European Union member states will need to either implement reduction targets or introduce levies for plastic bags in the near future, following a new informal agreement between the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, and the European Commission (EC).

Under the draft rules informally agreed between Members of European Parliament (MEPs) and the Italian Presidency of the Council on Monday (17 November), and confirmed by the member states’ permanent representatives today (21 November), EU countries will have to imminently introduce actions to reduce the use of plastic bags.

Legislation background

The draft amendment to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive was first proposed by the EC last year to curb the use of lightweight plastic bags (thinner than 50 microns) that are less reusable than thicker models and degenerate more quickly, thus causing more environmental damage to the environment, and water and aquatic ecosystems in particular.

More than 81 per cent of MEPs voted in support of the legislation earlier this year, and over 92 per cent of Europeans agree that measures should be taken to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic bags.

However, the proposed changes faced opposition from a number of countries, including the UK, who believed that member states should be left to deal with plastic waste on a national level (such as by introducing charges for bags), as opposed to being mandated to do so by the European Parliament.

As such, following trialogue talks on Monday, it has been informally agreed that member states would be able to choose between two policy options:

to take measures to ensure that average yearly consumption does not exceed 90 lightweight bags per citizen by 2019 and 40 by 2025; or

to take measures to ensure that, by 2018, they are not handed to shoppers free of charge.

The EC would have to evaluate the impact on the environment of oxo-degradable plastic materials, which fragment into small particles, and propose measures accordingly.

‘An historic moment for all of Europe’

Speaking today, Green MEP Margrete Auken, rapporteur for the draft law, said: "This is an historic moment for all of Europe. For the first time ever we have agreed on ambitious measures to reduce the amount of plastic bag waste in the environment. This is good news for the environment and all Europeans who expected the EU to take ambitious action on plastic bags.

“As front-running countries have demonstrated, dramatically reducing the consumption of these disposable bags is easily achievable with a consistent policy. Swiftly phasing out these bags is a readily-implementable solution to the pervasive problem of plastic waste in the environment."

Environment Committee Chair Giovanni La Via added: “We are satisfied with the green light for this important dossier. The European Commission’s new approach demonstrates an important sense of responsibility. We called upon the commission to act as a real facilitator between the two legislative institutions. Parliament and council have done a good job for the environment and the European citizens.”

The agreement between the EP delegation and the Italian Presidency will be put to a vote in the Environment Committee on Monday (24 November) in Strasbourg.

The move has been welcomed by Piotr Barczak, the European Environmental Bureau’s (EEB) Policy Officer on Waste, who said: “This is good news for Europe and the environment. In 92 per cent of cases, these bags are used only once and then become waste. They have little economic value but a highly detrimental and visible impact on the environment. Thanks to this agreement, Europe will see a big drop in plastic bag littering.”

The EEB added that it hopes the EU institutions will ‘show their support’ for the circular economy package, which European Commission President Juncker has placed under review until 16 December.

Find out more about the draft regulations.