Waste Framework Directive: new food and textile waste measures are welcomed but ‘‘too little, too late’’, says Zero Waste Europe
Brussels, 9 September 2025—Waste Framework Directive measures on textile and food waste adopted today by the European Parliament are encouraging but still leave space for improvement, according to environmental network Zero Waste Europe (ZWE).
While these newly adopted measures have the potential to drive circularity in the EU, the Parliament’s earlier, more progressive position was sidelined after the political shift of the last election, and Member States have blocked more ambitious measures during the negotiations.
The text introduces food waste reduction targets for 2030: while the reduction targets for retail, restaurants, food services, and households have been set at 30% per capita, the manufacturing and processing sectors only have to achieve 10% reduction. ZWE finds this outcome inappropriate given the reduction potential of the sector, especially considering that food waste mismanagement is a major source of methane, the second most powerful greenhouse gas driving climate change.
Theresa Mörsen, Waste and Resources Policy Manager at Zero Waste Europe, underlines:
‘In 2015, the EU and its Member States committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 12.3, a 50% reduction of food waste across the entire supply chain. We now lack decisive action to introduce binding targets, while impacts on climate change, land, and water use become ever more challenging. EU-wide binding targets guarantee fairness among Member States and provide clear guidance for food businesses and investors in circular solutions for the years to come. This revision is, unfortunately, a missed opportunity to fully align the food sector with the EU climate goals.’
Textile waste represents another major waste challenge in the EU today. According to the revised law, Member States must introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles by mid-2028. While EPR is a major milestone in holding textile producers accountable, the 30-month transposition period represents an unnecessary delay. Moreover, the WFD outcome today lacks crucial provisions, including concrete targets for collection, reuse, and recycling of textiles. While a review may introduce such targets later on, most collected textiles will likely continue to be incinerated in the meantime.
Zero Waste Europe calls for a more substantial review of EPR rules across the EU to suit the EU’s circular economy and climate targets as part of the Circular Economy Act announced for 2026.
Andrea Veselá, Textiles Officer at Zero Waste Europe, states: ‘It can sometimes be easy to overlook the impact of EU decisions for local communities; however, we see that municipalities, as well as sorters, already struggle to meet the separate collection obligation for textiles without further funding from EPR. The (ultra)fast fashion surge has resulted in an unmanageable amount of waste detrimental to not only local waste management and reuse efforts. ZWE recommends EU member states swiftly introduce EPR schemes that support prevention and best practices for waste collection, sorting, and local reuse.’
‘Member States should take inspiration from running schemes in France and the Netherlands and include concrete targets for circularity in their national schemes. Beyond circularity, fast fashion overconsumption should be on everyone’s radar, and we are glad to see that the text allows Member States to introduce fees based on producers’ business practices,’ adds Mörsen.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Food waste
Apart from production impacts, the mismanagement of discarded food waste also causes major climate impacts when organic waste enters landfills. Without pretreatment, it generates methane emissions. Only 26% of the food waste is currently captured through separate collection, showing the significant untapped potential to reduce methane emissions and recycle organic material into fertiliser, contributing to the EU’s bioeconomy.
Further reading
- Joint press release of the Prevent Waste Coalition on the vote in the European Parliament: “European Parliament gives green light to food waste targets: Prevent Waste Coalition welcomes targets, but is disappointed with low ambition” [Published 13/05/2024]
- Feedback to the proposal for a targeted revision of the Waste Framework Directive [Published 30/11/2023]
- Joint statement on Extended Producer Responsibility for Textiles [Published 16/10/2023]
- Joint policy brief by the Prevent Waste Coalition on the feasibility of ambitious food waste reduction targets [Published 03/05/2024]
Press contacts
Nanna Bille Cornelsen / Communications Officer at Zero Waste Europe
[email protected] or [email protected]
About Zero Waste Europe
Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) is the European network of communities, local leaders, experts, and change agents working towards a better use of resources and the elimination of waste in our society. We advocate for sustainable systems; for the redesign of our relationship with resources; and for a global shift towards environmental justice, accelerating a just transition towards zero waste for the benefit of people and the planet. www.zerowasteeurope.eu