This petition has been launched by Circular Plastics Made in Europe. It calls for a change to the current EU policy which allows imported plastic waste to count toward European recycling targets, creating a gap between reported progress and real circularity.

The goal is to support a credible, fair and effective circular economy in line with environmental, social and governance principles: 

• Environmental responsibility: Counting only plastic waste generated in Europe ensures that Europe (EU27+EFTA+UK) takes responsibility for its own waste footprint. It strengthens local recycling capacity, reduces reliance on waste exports and helps prevent plastic pollution — including leakage into rivers, coastlines, and oceans.
• Social responsibility: Prioritising waste collected in Europe supports European recycling jobs, fair competition and long-term investment in local infrastructure. It avoids shifting environmental and social impacts to other regions and reinforces shared responsibility across Europe (EU27+EFTA+UK).
• Good governance: Accurate data, traceability and policy consistency are essential for effective regulation. Aligning recycling and recycled-content targets with waste generated in Europe improves transparency, accountability and trust — ensuring that reported progress reflects real outcomes.

Is this something you agree with? See the petition here.