The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) is calling on the European Commission to establish harmonized End-of-Waste criteria for chemical recycling to support the expansion of circular plastics initiatives across Europe.

According to Cefic, existing draft EU-wide criteria for plastics from mechanical and solvent-based recycling do not address the specific characteristics of chemical recycling technologies and their outputs. The organization said the lack of a dedicated framework has led to different interpretations among member states regarding when recycled materials are no longer classified as waste.

Cefic said chemical recycling provides a complementary pathway to mechanical and solvent-based recycling by processing complex and mixed plastic waste streams that may not be suitable for other recycling methods. The group said clearer regulatory requirements would help support investment, cross-border trade and development of additional chemical recycling capacity.

In a position paper, Cefic called for End-of-Waste criteria based on the Waste Framework Directive, an output- and intended-use approach for recycled materials and recognition that criteria may apply at different stages of the chemical recycling process.

According to Cefic, establishing consistent EU-wide requirements would provide regulatory certainty while ensuring recycled materials meet applicable product and chemical regulations.

The call for chemical recycling regulations follows other Cefic efforts focused on European chemical industry competitiveness. In a January 2026 report, the organization said chemical plant closures across Europe have accelerated while investment in new capacity has slowed, raising concerns about the sector’s long-term manufacturing base and ability to deploy technologies such as circular plastics, electrification and lower-carbon feedstocks.