Today the European Parliament voted on two crucial laws: one to tackle food and textile waste, and another to reduce the environmental footprint of vehicles from design to disposal.  

As the European Commission prepares a new Circular Economy Act, amidst a wider deregulatory push, and against the backdrop of a deepening waste crisis, the Parliament’s mixed response today falls short of the action needed – warns the European Environmental Bureau (EEB). 

Vehicles: progress stalled by industry pressure 

The Parliament voted on the revision and merge of the outdated  End-of-Life Vehicles Directive and the 3R Type-Approval Directive into a new Regulation on Circularity Requirements on Vehicle Design and on Management of End-of-Life Vehicles. 

Caving under the pressure of the automotive industry, Members of the European Parliament weakened the Commission’s proposal, which was meant to boost circularity in the sector and reduce the environmental impacts of vehicle design, production, use, and end-of-life treatment.   

Notably, the Parliament: 

• Failed to address unsustainable material use, ignoring the need for fewer and smaller vehicles;  

• Prioritised recycling instead of more effective strategies such as durability, reuse, and repair; 

• Failed to hold producers accountable for used vehicles exported to non-EU countries 

Fynn Hauschke, Senior Policy Officer for Circular Economy & Waste at the EEB, said:

“EU lawmakers keep ignoring the core problem: the ever-increasing size and number of cars is driving up material use and environmental impact. Without tackling this trend – and requiring manufacturers to design vehicles to be durable and repairable from the outset – the regulation will not put the sector on a truly sustainable path.” 

Negotiations between the Parliament and Member States will now begin to finalise the Regulation. 

Food and textile waste: progress with major gaps 

The Parliament also endorsed the deal on the targeted revision of the Waste Framework Directive, setting EU targets to cut food waste by 2030 and introducing new measures to address the rising tide of textile waste. 

For the first time, the EU will have binding food waste reduction targets: 

• 10% for processing and manufacturing 

• 30% per capita for retail, restaurants, food services, and households 

Fynn Hauschke said:

“We welcome binding targets on waste prevention, and especially for food waste, but the final text falls short of the EU’s pledge to halve food waste across the supply chain. By settling for less, the Parliament is ignoring the scale of the crisis, missing a crucial chance to cut emissions, and putting food security and nature further at risk.” 

On textiles, the Directive introduces Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes to make brands more accountable for the waste they generate. By May 2028, Member States must set up these schemes, requiring producers to cover the costs of collecting and sorting post-consumer textiles, as well as activities related to reuse, repair and recycling.

However, the EEB warns that the long deadline will delay urgently needed support for municipalities and the second-hand sector, and calls on Member States not to put off setting up the schemes.

Emily Macintosh, Senior Policy Officer for Textiles at the EEB, said:

“We need ambitious EPR schemes for textiles to give municipalities and the second-hand sector the financial support they need to cope with growing volumes of discarded clothing. EPR must also provide support for countries like Ghana and Kenya, which are heavily affected by EU discarded clothing exports.” 

“It’s time for EPR schemes to tackle overproduction head on by penalising companies for the harmful commercial practices which lead to so much waste generation in the first place”, Macintosh added. 

Once the revised Waste Framework Directive enters into force, Member States will have 20 months to transpose it into national law.