The Commission will host tomorrow, 26 September, a fully-booked stakeholder conference addressing the challenges and opportunities of plastics. Input from civil society and industry will be an essential contribution in the development of the Commission's Plastics Strategy, an integral part of the new Industrial Policy Strategy announced by the Juncker Commission to modernise and make industry stronger and more competitive. First Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioners Bieńkowska and Vella will speak at the conference and listen to stakeholders' views on how the plastics industry can evolve to reduce its environmental impact and further boost its economic contribution in Europe. More than 1.4 million people work in the European plastics industry, which is worth over €350 billion each year. However, opportunities for further growth are being missed because of low recycling rates and a high reliance on raw materials.
As part of the push to improve the Circular Economy, the Commission's upcoming Plastics Strategy will aim to improve the conditions for investment and innovation, help the industry become more circular, competitive and resource-efficient, create more jobs and further boost growth. Theconference is expected to discuss designing products for durability and recyclability, elimination of hazardous substances, sorting, traceability, incorporating recycled content, alternative feedstocks and biodegradability. The conference will also explore the issue of marine litter, including microplastics and protection of the health of EU citizens, and will look ahead to the discussions on this topic at the Our Ocean conference in Valletta, Malta on 5-6 October. Tomorrow's stakeholder conference will be webstreamed live here.
The full programme can be found online.
