The targeted revision of the Waste Framework Directive has been published in the Official Journal of the EU. Accordingly, the legislation will enter into force in mid-October, after which member states will have 20 months to transpose its provisions into national law.
The Directive's new extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations for a wide range of textile products will not take effect until 30 months after the legislation enters into force, putting the implementation deadline at 17 April 2028. A one-year extension of the deadline was granted to micro-enterprises, that is economic operators with fewer than ten employees and annual turnover of no more than €2m, after which all producers of in-scope textiles and apparel will be required to cover the costs of collecting, sorting and recycling their products at end of life.
The revised Directive also sets binding targets for reducing food waste. By 2030, member states must achieve a 10 per cent reduction in the amount of food waste generated in manufacturing and processing, and by a 30 per cent per capita reduction in arisings in restaurants, food services and households. Progress towards these targets will be measured against the average food waste arisings recorded between 2021 and 2023.
The European Parliament approved the final text of the revised Directive in early September.
