The European Council and Parliament have agreed to reduce food and textile waste in the European Union (EU). Food waste will be subject to binding reduction targets to be met at national level by 31 December 2030. Textiles will be subject to a waste tax to be paid by producers and fashion brands.
The Food Waste Reduction Agreement sets a target of a 10% reduction in food processing and manufacturing, and a 30% per capita reduction in retail, restaurants, catering and households.
These targets, the first set at EU level, will be measured against the average annual waste generated between 2021 and 2023. Currently, EU countries collectively generate nearly 60 million tonnes of food waste - equivalent to 130 kilograms per European citizen.
The agreement also encourages the voluntary donation of unsold food that is still safe for human consumption, a practice already in place in several European countries.
On reducing textile waste, the agreement will make manufacturers and fashion brands responsible for paying a tax to co-finance the collection and treatment of textile waste. This tax will vary according to the durability and recyclability of the products, and will aim to discourage the excessive production of fast fashion, where garments are discarded before reaching their full lifespan.
Textile and clothing production and consumption are among the most polluting activities worldwide, generating 12.6 million tonnes of waste annually in the EU—equivalent to 28 kilograms per European citizen.
Under current regulations, EU Member States have already been required to set up selective collection schemes for textile waste since 1 January this year.
The provisional agreements now reached between the Council Presidency and representatives of the European Parliament need to be ratified by both institutions before the formal adoption process. Once approved, Member States will need to update their national legislation to comply with the new rules.