PETCORE EUROPE in partnership with the Circular Economy Coalition in Romania (CERC) had a pleasure to host a physical event “Circular Economy Coalition bridges the PET value chain between Eastern, Central and Western Europe” on the 17th of October 2024.

This event marked our first gathering in Bucharest, where we were joined by PET packaging experts from across the entire PET value chain in Central and Eastern Europe along with the Vice President of the European Parliament and Romanian Minister of Environment.

“We are grateful to Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vice President of EU Parliament, and Mircea Fechet, Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests in Romania, for opening the first PETCORE EUROPE Roadshow in Central Europe, where we had the chance to present the risk & opportunities associated with the journey defined by the EU Directive and Regulation for a more circular PET business model. The number and quality of the attendees are a clear message of ​ the need to fill the gap of information with an increasing cooperation between the two sides of Europe. A warm thank you to Constantin Damov and the CERC Team for the superb organization of this first event: PETCORE EUROPE will come back soon!” – Antonello Ciotti, President at PETCORE EUROPE.

“The PETCORE Roadshow in Bucharest presented an excellent opportunity for an in-depth analysis of the PET packaging value chain, particularly from the perspective of stakeholders in Central and Eastern Europe. A key conclusion, applicable across the entire European market, is that achieving functional circularity is only possible using European-sourced rPET. However, the most significant challenge will be the new regulations introduced by the European Commission regarding plastic packaging.” - Constantin Damov, President of Circular Economy Coalition (CERC) in Romania.

“I consider that Romania's economic competitiveness and resilience are closely related to initiatives like the Deposit Return System (DRS), which should align with efforts to protect and strengthen the European economy. The DRS has significantly reduced Romania's reliance on PET waste imports by supplying sufficient material to local recycling facilities from the national market, marking it as a major success for the country’s circular economy. In recent months, the DRS achieved impressive collection rates of 78% in August and 81% in September, far surpassing previous waste collection efforts and driving economic benefits through jobs creation, investment in new technologies, such as RVMs (Reverse Vending Machines), and business growth. A key concern, however, is the influx of rPET from Asia, where production and quality regulations may fall short of European standards. To protect the competitiveness of the European recycling industry, it is crucial to ensure strict compliance with EU regulations and standards.” - Mircea Fechet, Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests, Romania.

“I am a strong supporter of the PET recyclers' industry in Romania and across Europe. Recyclers need a well-established economic framework to make their business profitable, allowing them to create jobs and bring added value to the European economy. Additionally, bottlers also have the responsibility to use as much recycled plastic as possible. This is why we need to introduce certain regulations at the European Union level to limit the unfair competition posed by non-European countries on recyclers in member states. It is not fair that we produce cleanly, which costs us more, while products come from outside that also cost us in terms of health. I have fought to keep the Green Deal moving forward during this legislative term. It is one of my most cherished beliefs that we cannot have a future without taking care of nature. What recyclers are managing to do demonstrates that the Green Deal is not a whim or an obstacle to the European economy, but rather a huge economic opportunity.” - Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vice-President of European Parliament.