Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
An agreement was announced this morning in Brussels between the Council of the European Union countries on the one hand and the European Parliament on the other hand on steps to reduce food waste and set new rules on textile waste. A European statement said, "Today, the Presidency of the Council and representatives of the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the targeted review of the Waste Framework Directive, setting EU targets for reducing food waste by 2030 and measures towards a more sustainable and less waste-producing textile sector.
The agreement still needs to be confirmed by the two institutions before going through the formal adoption procedures.
Less food waste by 2030
Participants in the negotiations agreed on ambitious and realistic targets on food waste by 2030:
A 10% reduction in processing and manufacturing waste compared to the average amount of food waste generated in these sectors in 2021-2023
A 30% reduction per capita in waste from retail, restaurants, food services and households compared to the average amount of food waste generated in these sectors in 2021-2023
These targets are the first ever to be set at EU level. The agreement also provides for the voluntary donation of unsold food that is safe for human consumption as an important aspect of reducing food waste.
New rules on textile waste
The interim agreement provides for harmonised rules on extended producer responsibility for textile producers and fashion brands: they will be responsible for their waste and will be required to pay a fee to help finance the collection and treatment of waste, which will depend on how circular and sustainable their products are designed.
Participating lawmakers agreed to tackle the overproduction of textile waste and ultra-fast fashion practices, to prevent textile products from being thrown away before they reach their potential lifespan. Member states may adjust the fees paid by producers according to the length of use and durability of textile products.
The interim agreement provides for a level playing field, including all companies within the scope of extended producer responsibility schemes. Under this harmonised framework, all companies, including small ones, will have access to the resources and infrastructure needed to properly treat textile waste.
To reduce the administrative burden, small businesses will have an additional year to comply with these obligations after the establishment of the extended producer responsibility schemes (in total, 3.5 years after the new rules come into force).

Today’s agreement on textile waste represents an important step towards a strong, circular and competitive economy in the EU, while maintaining the polluter pays principle. In addition, the EU sets ambitious targets for the first time to reduce food waste, for more sustainable food systems in the EU.

The next steps

The provisional agreement was reached by the Presidency of the Council and representatives of the European Parliament, based on mandates from their respective institutions. The provisional agreement will now have to be adopted by the Council and Parliament before undergoing a legal language review. Once formally adopted, EU Member States will have up to 20 months to update their national laws to follow the new rules.
The Commission will be tasked with reviewing and assessing several aspects of the Waste Framework Directive. These issues include the financing of extended producer responsibility schemes and potential targets for textile waste (by 2029) as well as the role of primary production in food waste, the impact of changes in production levels and potential updated targets for food waste reduction for 2030 and 2035 (by 2027). Over 59 million tonnes of food waste are generated in the EU each year, representing a loss of around €132 billion. The EU also generates 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste per year. Clothing and footwear alone account for 5.2 million tonnes of waste, equivalent to 12 kg of waste per person per year.