The Commission has acknowledged that less than 30% of 25,8 million tonnes of plastic waste generated by Europeans every year is collected for recycling, and plastics make up 85% of beach litter. In order to accelerate EU’s transition towards a circular economy, the very first strategy on plastics has been adopted by the European Commission. The strategy is in line with the 2015 EU Action plan for a circular economy and aims to protect the environment from plastic pollution whilst fostering growth and innovation. In particular, the EU will endeavour to restrict intentional use of microplastics, to reduce consumption of single-use plastics and to make all plastic packaging on the EU market recyclable by 2030. The strategy is expected to contribute to reaching the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals as well as objectives set by the Paris Agreement. First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, responsible for sustainable development, said: "If we don't change the way we produce and use plastics, there will be more plastics than fish in our oceans by 2050. We must stop plastics getting into our water, our food, and even our bodies. The only long-term solution is to reduce plastic waste by recycling and reusing more. This is a challenge that citizens, industry and governments must tackle together.” EU’s vision for a circular plastics economy is built on the following pillars: 1) Improving the economics and quality of plastics recycling In order to make recycling profitable for business, the EU plans to introduce new rules on packaging, to improve the recyclability of plastics used on the market and to increase the demand for recycled plastic content. 2) Curbing plastic waste and littering The EU will develop measures to reduce the unnecessary generation of plastic waste and to encourage the reuse of packaging. Special attention will be given to waste from single-use items or over-packaging. In addition, higher recycling rates and better waste collection systems will be supported. As regards marine litter, the EU wants to ensure that waste generated on ships or gathered at sea is not left behind but returned to land and adequately managed there. The EU, in cooperation with national, regional and local authorities, will also seek to raise public awareness of the need to avoid waste (in form of awareness campaigns or projects). 3) Driving innovation and investment towards circular solutions The Commission points out that meeting ambitious goals on plastics recycling alone will require an estimated additional investment of between EUR 8.4 and 16.6 billion in innovation and infrastructure. Innovation is considered to be a key enabler for the transformation of the plastics value chain. The Commission is determined to take necessary measures (including economic incentives for businesses) to scale up investments and facilitate access to finance for circular economy projects. EU’s research funding will support development of smarter and more recyclable plastics materials, efficient recycling processes, as well as development of measures for tracing and removing hazardous substances and contaminants from recycled plastics. 4) Harnessing global action In order to contribute to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the EU will continue to support international action, promote best practices worldwide, and use its external funding instruments to support improved waste prevention and management around the world. The European Commission believes that challenges linked to the production, consumption and end-of-life of plastics can be turned into an opportunity for the EU and the competitiveness of the European industry. There is no doubt that the European Strategy for Plastics has potential to significantly contribute to the EU’s transition towards circular economy. The gLAWcal Team