plastic bags and labels

Royal Decree on single-use plastic bags and labels on reusable bottles

This draft Royal Decree aims to prevent and reduce the environmental impact of certain single-use productsand to promote reusable products and the transition towards a circular economy.

It also aims to transpose into national law the provisions of Directive (EU) 2015/720 of the EuropeanParliament and of the Council of 29 April 2015 amending Directive 94/62/EC as regards restricting the use oflightweight plastic carrier bags.
First, this draft Royal Decree prohibits the placing on the market for the first time of lightweight plastic bagswith handles (‘carrier bags’), with the exception of very lightweight plastic bags, reusable plastic bags meetingthe requirements of the NBN EN 13429 standard and bags supplied at airports for imperative safety reasons.
Secondly, it provides that, when placed on the market, labels and other markings affixed to returnable glassbottles, as well as glues and other adhesive means used to attach labels to returnable bottles, must be easilyremovable from the returnable bottles. This provision does not apply to returnable bottles forming part of aclosed circuit deposit system.