In a critical step accelerating the transition to a circular economy, the European Union brought the latest consolidated text of the Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) into force on October 16, 2025. This revision, which specifically targets the food and textile sectors, is formalized in Directive (EU) 2025/1892, setting binding targets and new obligations for Member States.
The most important change is the setting of clear, EU-wide targets for reducing food waste. Member states must reduce food waste in processing and manufacturing by 10% by December 31, 2030. At the same time, there is an ambitious 30% reduction in per capita food waste, including in retail, restaurants, food services and households. These regulations start a concrete fight against the problem of food waste, which leads to huge economic and environmental losses.
In addition, the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme has been made mandatory for textiles. Manufacturers of clothing, footwear, accessories and home textiles will now be obliged to cover the cost of collecting, sorting and recycling their products at the end of their lifecycle. These costs include practices such as registering with the producer register and paying an “eco-contribution” fee. Member states have until June 17, 2027 at the latest to transpose these new provisions into national law. This historic regulation is crucial for the EU’s Green Deal objectives, which aim to prevent waste and promote more efficient use of resources.
For more detailed information: Consolidated text
