On February 24, 2025, the European Union (EU) officially published Regulation (EU) 2025/351, which amends several existing rules related to plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.
This new regulation:
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Amends Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended for food contact.
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Amends Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 on recycled plastic materials intended for food contact.
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Repeals Regulation (EC) No. 282/2008.
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Amends Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006 on good manufacturing practices (GMP) for food-contact materials, particularly regarding recycled plastics and quality control measures.
The amended regulation will take effect on March 15, 2025, and will apply across all EU member states.
1. Updates to Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011
Table of Contents
Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 establishes specific rules for plastic materials and articles intended for contact with food.
In particular, Chapter II defines the compositional requirements to ensure that final plastic materials are safe and meet the conditions set out in Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004.
Key amendments include:
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Revised definitions of “recycling,” “additives,” and “purity” of plastic products.
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Updated provisions on purity standards and general compositional requirements for plastic materials.
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Additional restrictions and labeling requirements for substances used in the manufacture of food-contact plastics.
These changes aim to enhance consumer safety and improve traceability and control throughout the plastic manufacturing supply chain.
2. Amendments to Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 and Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006
Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 sets quality-assurance rules for the collection, pre-treatment, decontamination, and recycling of waste plastic materials and by-products generated during plastic production.
To further ensure food safety, detailed guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) under Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006 have also been updated.
Specific changes:
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Annex II, Sections B and C of Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006 have been amended as follows:
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Section B: Specifies minimum requirements for quality-assurance systems operated at recycling facilities that produce recycled plastics in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2022/1616.
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Section C: Expands the scope of recycling under Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 to cover additional processes and materials.
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These revisions align the EU’s framework for recycled plastics in food-contact applications with the latest safety, environmental, and circular-economy objectives.