The German Federal Ministry of Finance proposes a tax of 550 euros per tonne on certain plastic packaging and products. The tax is set to start in mid-2027. It is meant to raise money for the federal budget. Estimated costs for businesses are around 44 million euros per year, plus 8.8 million euros in one-time costs.
Many business associations believe these estimates are too low. They expect additional bureaucracy and reporting rules on top of existing obligations, such as Extended Producer Responsibility, the Single-Use Plastics Fund and the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). They also fear higher costs for businesses and consumers in general. In their view, the tax will do little to encourage recyclable packaging or increase recycling rates. Instead, they are calling for financial incentives for recyclable packaging and the use of recycled materials.
The Federation of German Industries (German abbr. BDI), the German Retail Federation (German abbr. HDE) and other associations demand a clear and transparent law-making process as well as a detailed review of the possible effects. At present, the planned plastic tax is still being discussed.
VERE e.V. is in contact with the relevant stakeholders and keeps its members informed of further developments via the “VERE Insider”.
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