24/04/2024 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 24 April, the European Parliament approved the provisional interinstitutional agreement on the Packaging and Packaging Waste regulation (see EUROPE 13374/39) (476 votes in favour, 129 against and 24 abstentions), on which the Parliament and the EU Council had reached agreement on 4 March (see EUROPE 13364/8). The new rules include packaging reduction targets (5% by 2030, 10% by 2035 and 15% by 2040) and require Member States to reduce the amount of plastic packaging waste in particular. Certain types of single-use plastic packaging will be completely banned from 1 January 2030. Among other things, the text also provides for a ban on the use of so-called “forever” chemical substances (PFAS) above certain thresholds in packaging that comes into contact with foodstuffs. (PLD)