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Ref. Ares(2022)8905103 - 21/12/2022


States and has sought input from stakeholders. Due to the complexity of the issues, those 
consultations have taken additional time and the guidelines are currently being finalised.  
The Commission is fully aware of the critical role played by certain single-use plastic 
products for health-related applications during the current pandemic. Please note that the 
Directive aims to address the unsustainable use of certain single plastic products, and 
prevent and reduce their impact on the environment. Healthcare applications are not 
covered.  Furthermore, Article 11 of the Directive states that:  ‘The measures that 
Member States take to transpose and implement…this Directive shall comply with Union 
food law to ensure that food hygiene and food safety are not compromised. Member 
States shall encourage the use of sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic where 
possible for materials intended to come into contact with food
.’ Therefore, single-use 
alternatives remain an option also under the SUP Directive, which is particularly relevant 
in cases where the safety and hygiene of multiple use products cannot be guaranteed. 
In your letter, you also address the implications for the bioplastics industry. Regardless 
of the final decision taken on the Guidelines, please note that Recital 11 of the SUP 
Directive states: ‘[t]he adapted definition of plastics should therefore cover […] bio-
based and biodegradable plastic regardless of whether they are derived from biomass or 
are intended to biodegrade over time’. 
The revision of the SUP Directive envisaged for 
2027 will look at the scientific and technical progress on biodegradability of single-use 
plastic products in the marine environment. It would need to be ensured that single-use 
plastic products undergo full decomposition into carbon dioxide, biomass and water 
within a timescale short enough not to be harmful to marine life and not to lead to an 
accumulation of plastics in the environment. In this context, please note that the 
Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) recently published some advice to the Commission 
on the question of biodegradable plastics2. 
I trust this letter answers your queries, and look forward to continued good cooperation 
on advancing the transition to a resource-efficient and more circular economy.
Yours sincerely,
e-signed
Florika FINKHOOIJER
2
https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/new-scientific-opinion-biodegradability-plastics-open-environment-2020-
dec-14 en
2
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