The managers of FEPEX and its integrated associations met this week to analyze the situation of national regulations related to packaging, specifically Royal Decree 1055/2022 of December 27 on packaging and packaging waste.
The sector grouped in FEPEX reiterated its concern about the future application of this Royal Decree as, among other aspects, it includes the obligation to market fresh fruits and vegetables in bulk in the retail sector, prohibiting all types of packaging in batches of less than 1.5 kilograms (except for those products that present a risk of deterioration). Selling these products in bulk would render the differentiation strategy by origin and quality practically unviable, which would entail a loss of added value to community productions.
Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, is working with the Spanish Food Safety Agency, AESAN, and the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge to define the list of products that would not be affected by the new bulk marketing requirement because of their risk of deterioration.
The regulation proposed by the European Parliament and Council on packaging and packaging waste, which was presented by the Commission on November 30, 2022, is in line with Royal Decree 1055/2022 in several points, including the restriction on the marketing of fruits and vegetables in any type of single-use packaging when they are sold in batches of less than 1.5 kilograms.
This proposal is being processed in the European Parliament. On October 24, it was analyzed by the Environment Commission, which included amendments to the Commission's proposal. The final report will be voted on in the plenary session from November 20 to 23. After approval in the EP, it will move on to the trilogues phase, in which the Council, Parliament, and Commission must reach an agreement on the final text of the Regulation. Thus, expectations are it won’t be approved at least until the first quarter of 2024.
Source: fepex.es