The European Commission opened a public consultation on October 21 about the role of bio-based feedstock in plastic packaging. Responses are due by January 13, 2027, and will contribute to a review required by the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.

Officials are requesting evidence on feedstock availability, technical performance, sourcing, environmental effects and the consequences of different regulatory approaches. The review will also consider recycling technologies and the trade-offs involved when fossil inputs are replaced with material derived from biological resources.

The Commission says greater use of sustainable bio-based inputs could reduce dependence on imported fossil resources and lower packaging’s carbon footprint. Those potential benefits depend on how feedstocks are produced, how land and energy are used and whether the resulting packaging works within collection and recycling systems.

The consultation will help assess possible demand measures, targets and sustainability conditions. It may lead to a legislative proposal, but no binding percentage or compliance timetable has been adopted through this notice. Citizens, public authorities, producers, recyclers, retailers, researchers and environmental and consumer groups are among those invited to submit evidence.