On October 16, 2025, the European Union formally adopted the revised Waste Directive in Brussels. This pivotal legislative act introduces mandatory mechanisms designed to drastically cut the volume of food and textile waste across the entire EU bloc. This decision marks a watershed moment in the region's environmental policy, providing a clear pathway for Member States to profoundly restructure their economic models toward a circular economy framework.
The core of the directive lies in establishing concrete, measurable benchmarks. Regarding food waste, the directive mandates a 10% reduction by the year 2030 within the processing and manufacturing sectors, calculated against the average annual figures recorded between 2021 and 2023. For the retail sector, food services, and private households, the requirements are even more stringent: a prescribed 30% per capita reduction is required over the same baseline period. These targets represent the first of their kind to be set at the EU level, necessitating a fundamental rethinking of the entire food supply chain cycle.
Simultaneously, the directive institutes compulsory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for both textile products and footwear. This crucial shift transfers the financial burden of managing waste from local municipalities to the entities that place the products on the market. The textile industry generates a staggering 12.6 million tons of waste annually within the EU, yet only about one-fifth of this material is collected separately for potential reuse or recycling. The new regulations are intended to spur innovation in product design and heighten corporate accountability for the full lifecycle of their goods. Notably, micro-enterprises are granted an additional year to comply with the EPR requirements, while social economy enterprises involved in collecting and processing secondary textiles are exempt from the EPR obligations, though they may establish their own collection systems managed through Producer Responsibility Organizations.
The European Commission is scheduled to conduct a comprehensive review of the directive’s implementation by 2027. This assessment aims to gain a deeper understanding of the primary causes of losses and food waste occurring at the level of primary production. Furthermore, this review will explore the feasibility of adjusting the 2030 targets and setting new objectives extending beyond 2030, potentially reaching as far as 2035. The Commission is also tasked with adopting implementing rules that must take into account variations in tourist flows when evaluating the reduction in food waste achieved by individual Member States.
Member States now face several critical deadlines for transposition and implementation. They have a 20-month window to incorporate the directive into their respective national legislations. Establishing the necessary EPR schemes for textiles and footwear must be completed within 30 months. Furthermore, competent authorities responsible for coordinating food waste prevention measures must be designated by January 17, 2026, and national food waste prevention programs must be adapted to align with the required measures by October 17, 2027.
This significant regulatory shift is integral to the broader package of "green" reforms and the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. It is designed not only to curb pollution but also to act as a powerful catalyst for technological advancement. Moreover, the directive reinforces the EU’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 and supports the execution of the Circular Economy Action Plan. Given that data published by ESTAT covering 2020 through 2023 reveals substantial volumes of food waste and a lack of a clear downward trend, this revised directive represents a vital step in getting the EU back on track toward meeting its crucial environmental objectives.