Achievement at a glance
A Strategy to curb plastic waste and littering was adopted in January 2018.Since 2019 a new Port Reception Facilities Directive governs waste management of ships and at ports; it introduces a 100% indirect fee for all ships, including fishing vessels and recreational craft, removing the incentive to illegally dump garbage (which includes fishing gear and passively fished waste) to the sea.
In 2019, the “Single-Use Plastics” Directive established new EU rules for sea and land-based sources of marine litter, focusing on the 10 single-use plastic products most frequently found on beaches and seas, including lost and abandoned fishing gear; it introduces a mix of measures, including consumption reduction targets, market restrictions and obligations for producers, to significantly prevent and reduce the impact on the environment of certain plastic products and fishing gear.
In May 2018, a target of halting the generation of marine litter was included in the EU waste management legislation.
A Stakeholders’ group for end-of-life recreational boats will deliver at the end of 2022 a roadmap for a EU approach on end-of-life recreational boats.
Under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) baselines for beach litter and a regulatory threshold value of maximum 20 litter items per 100 meters of coastline have been set; baselines for quantities in water column and seafloor and thresholds for preventing harm from litter are being set. Under the MSFD and with the cooperation of the Regional Seas Conventions around Europe, marine litter and its impacts are monitored and assessed. The EU supports their Regional Action Plans and funds several big projects enabling their implementation.
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The Zero Pollution Action Plan sets Union-wide quantitative reduction targets for plastic marine litter (50%) and releases of microplastics (30%) for 2030.
Restrictions for microplastics used in or emitted from products are considered and some could be in place by end 2022.
Challenges faced in implementation
-Next Steps
A follow up commitment is being considered for the next UN Ocean Conference.Beneficiaries
EU Member States, riparian States of the relevant sea basins, as well as current and future generations.