22 June 2026
Close the Glass Loop Holds 2026 Annual Event in Brussels
On 4 June 2026, Close the Glass Loop brought together 45 representatives from European institutions, industry, waste management & recycling sector, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) organisations and Close the Glass Loop (CGL) National Platforms to discuss how Europe can sustain and strengthen the circular economy for glass packaging.
The event opened with a keynote from MEP Letizia Moratti (EPP/IT), who underscored glass packaging’s status as a global benchmark for circular resource management while warning that scaling up the circular economy demands a truly holistic approach, one that accounts for environmental, climate and economic dimensions equally.
Two high-level panels set the tone for the day. The central message was unambiguous: circularity and industrial competitiveness cannot be separated. Panellists from the European Commission, EUROPEN, FEAD, Verallia and Sibelco Green Solutions agreed that future EU legislation must support both manufacturing viability and robust recycling markets, particularly as the sector faces rising energy costs and intensifying international competition. A key takeaways emerged: circularity cannot go without industrial competitiveness, strong demand for secondary raw materials including cullet remains essential, the Single Market remains a critical enabler, EPR systems need greater harmonisation to ensure transparency and effectiveness and collection remains the foundation of glass packaging circularity.
The second panel brought together voices from FEVE, FERVER, EXPRA, ACR+ and CITEO to shape a common value chain position on the Circular Economy Act. While perspectives varied, a clear consensus emerged: EPR systems across Europe need greater transparency, harmonisation and accountability, while still allowing flexibility for national circumstances. Speakers also stressed that stronger economic incentives are needed to keep recycling businesses viable, and that effective separate collection, supported by mandatory targets and incentives to divert glass from landfill and incineration, must remain the cornerstone of any future policy framework.
The afternoon spotlighted national platform updates from Austria, Portugal and Spain, each demonstrating how targeted local interventions, from digital collection monitoring to HORECA-focused pilots and recovery from mixed residual waste, can meaningfully improve collection performance. Collectively, their experiences reinforced that separate collection remains the irreplaceable foundation of any high-quality recycling system.
The final session took a workshop format, focusing on how Close the Glass Loop can strengthen its impact across three areas. On policy, participants agreed that continued engagement on the PPWR and the Circular Economy Act — including aligning value chain positions on key legislative details remains a priority. On collection, discussions centred on deepening collaboration with municipalities and the HORECA sector, with ideas ranging from citizen engagement tools to a network of waste coaches. On communications, the results of the HORECA contamination campaign were presented as a replicable model, with cosmetics and borosilicate glass identified as potential next topics.
