Story | 10/23/2025 13:38:19 | 2 min Read time

Ambitious mandatory targets for renewable solutions in key product legislation: a strategic industrial imperative for Europe

Europe stands at a critical juncture in the global race for industrial leadership. Progress in introducing more sustainable materials has stalled: 99% of plastics in Europe still rely on fossil-based feedstocks, and the share of renewable chemicals has remained flat for over a decade. Voluntary measures have failed to move the needle. To overcome market failures we need bold, binding policies that send strong signals to investors, value chains, and innovators.

Why mandatory bioplastic targets in PPWR and ESPR are needed now

Reindustrialization & growth

Binding targets for renewable solutions will create lead markets for sustainable materials. This creates certainty for investments, secures industrial growth, and enables Europe to reclaim leadership in advanced materials and renewable chemicals.

Strategic autonomy

Europe must reduce its reliance on imported fossil feedstocks and fossil-based plastics from global competitors. Biorefineries and renewable production offer regional solutions, anchoring value chains in Europe and improving supply chain resilience.

Decarbonization at scale

Substituting fossil carbon with biogenic carbon directly reduces emissions at the source, helping meet climate targets. Renewable solutions are essential for hard-to-abate sectors such as packaging, textiles, and automotive especially where the quality of recycled products does not match all requirements or where it is foreseeable that recycled materials won’t be sufficient to meet the demand driven by regulation.

Green jobs

Scaling renewable solutions unlocks a new wave of high-value, future-fit jobs across rural and industrial regions.

Innovation

Catalyzing innovation in materials science, recycling, and product design will lay the foundation for a globally competitive circular bioeconomy.

The path forward

Europe must move from ambition to action. That means:

  • Setting a minimum 10% mandatory bioplastics target for packaging in PPWR by 2030
  • Establishing a minimum 30% renewable and circular target for synthetic fibers in ESPR for textiles by 2030
  • Introducing eco-design criteria for carbon footprint reduction and sustainability certifications in ESPR for tires by 2030

The window is closing. Without decisive action, Europe risks losing the global bioeconomy race along with the jobs, innovation and industrial growth it promises. With the right targets, we can make renewable solutions a strategic growth engine for Europe.