Towards Osaka Blue Ocean Vision - G20 Implementation Framework for Actions on Marine Plastic Litter

The European Union

Actions and Progress on Marine Plastic Litter
Last Update : 2025/08/27

Policy Framework

National Action Plan

Name (Year):
● EU Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy (2018) – part of the Circular Economy Action Plan (2015)

Brief Description:
The EU’s plastics strategy aims to transform the way plastic products are designed, produced, used and recycled in the EU. Also, the strategy aims to protect our environment and reduce marine litter, greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on imported fossil fuels. It will support more sustainable and safer consumption and production patterns for plastics. It is being implemented through actions to make recycling profitable for business, curb plastic waste, drive innovation and investment, and spur global change. As part of the Strategy, the EU adopted the Single-Use Plastic Directive (2019), targeting the top 10 single-use plastic products most often found on Europe’s beaches and seas as well as fishing gear containing plastics and the Port Reception Facilities Directive (2019), aiming to properly collect waste generated by ships, including passively fished waste from fishing vessels and waste fishing gear.
Emphasis on prevention of litter from both land- and sea-based sources is the cornerstone of EU policies against plastic pollution of the ocean and the seas. Clean-up actions can be meaningful when litter accumulations create serious risks for marine or coastal biodiversity and habitats or negative socioeconomic effects. The EU is furthermore committed to close collaboration with its neighbours within the four Regional Seas Conventions around Europe and with other non-EU countries in global fora such as the UN, G20 and G7.

In Preparation

Name: Circular Economy Act (CEA) 1

Brief Description:
The new EU Circular Economy Act (CEA), introduced in the Political Guidelines of President Ursula von der Leyen, is planned for implementation during the 2024–2029 legislative term. Building on the second Circular Economy Action Plan (2020), the CEA aims to align policies across member states, reducing regulatory fragmentation and easing compliance. It seeks to stimulate market demand for secondary materials in manufacturing, closing the loop on resource use, and create a unified internal market for waste, including plastics.

1: Ursula von der Leyen calls for a more circular and resilient economy | European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (europa.eu)

 

Legal Framework

Name (Year) :
● Legislation on waste

Brief Description:
The EU’s long tradition of legislation on waste (starting in the 1970s and over the years developed into a comprehensive body of legislation) plays an important role in preventing marine litter. As part of the shift towards a circular economy, an important review of the waste legislation took place and the ensuing legislative proposals adopted in 2018 introduced the world’s most ambitious waste-management targets and strengthened provisions on waste prevention. Today EU’s waste policy includes:

  • Horizontal legislation setting the main definitions and principles
  • Laws on how waste should be treated
  • Legislation on specific products or so-called waste streams (many of which will be further modernised in the years to come)

Name (Year) :Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (2025)

Brief Description:
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation entered into force in February 2025 and will apply from 12 August 2026. The new EU rules on packaging and packaging waste will focus on both packaging design and packaging waste management to address environmental issues from the circular economy perspective, while striving for removal of barriers to the functioning of the internal market for packaging and reduction of packaging waste. Thus, packaging on the EU market shall meet specific requirements on design for packaging minimization, reduction of substances of concern, recyclability, reuse, recycled content in plastic packaging, and compostability. The new Regulation keeps and reinforces the provisions related to the reduction of lightweight plastic carrier bags by setting a clear EU-level target on their consumption and by banning – at EU level – all very lightweight plastic carrier bags unless they are required for hygiene reasons or provided as primary packaging for loose food when this helps to prevent food waste. To avoid cross-contamination, the Regulation sets clear rules on which packaging can be designed for composting, while by default all packaging should be designed for material recycling.

Name (Year) :Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008)

Brief Description:
The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC) was the first EU legal instrument to explicitly address marine litter; it requires “Good Environmental Status” for marine litter to be achieved by 2020, i.e. that “properties and quantities of marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment”. Assessment of the status, target setting, monitoring, reporting and implementation of measures related to marine litter and microlitter are carried out in accordance with relevant MSFD provisions and have been further specified within a Decision by the European Commission (2017/848/EU). In 2020 the Commission published a report on MSFD implementation2 and in 2023 an assessment of monitoring programmes, including for marine litter3. The Commission assessment of the measures submitted by the EU Member States was published in February 20254, followed by the MSFD evaluation report in March 2025.
 
MSFD activities against marine litter are supported by the MSFD Technical Group on Marine Litter5 , chaired by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and Spain, bringing together experts from Member States, Regional Sea Conventions, NGOs, umbrella organisations and scientific project leads. It acts as an advisory group to the policy process and links science with policy, providing guidance and recommendations on relevant issues such as monitoring methodologies, harm caused by marine litter and sources of marine litter. Importantly, it has been tasked to develop baseline quantities and threshold values for marine litter and microlitter pursuant to the abovementioned Commission Decision. In September 2020, EU Member States agreed on a beach litter threshold value of 20 items per 100 m of beach; MSFD monitoring data show a significant downward trend for coastline litter quantities in comparison to 2016 (report to be published in autumn 2024). More threshold values in relation to marine litter and microlitter (including microplastics) are being developed, notably for seafloor litter and for floating litter and microlitter.
 
The MSFD is being reviewed, and it might be amended, resulting in more concrete and quantified targets and thresholds related to marine litter, including plastic marine litter and microplastics.
 
Other Legal Instruments:
 
Other legal EU instruments that help tackle marine litter include the Directive on Port Reception Facilities for the delivery of waste from ships (2019), the Single-Use Plastic Directive focusing on most frequently found marine litter (including fishing gear containing plastic) (2019), and the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (2025), also aiming to better capture microplastics in wastewater treatment.
 
As a follow-up of the Single-Use Plastic Directive, the Commission also adopted a decision on a standardization request to the European Committee for Standardisation as regards circular design of fishing gear (2021). The EN 17988, Circular design of fishing gear and aquaculture equipment -series (2024) aims to provide stakeholders in the fishing gear and aquaculture equipment sector with requirements, recommendations and guidelines to address six aspects of circular design of fishing gear and aquaculture equipment containing plastics from the design phase across the entire life cycle.
 
The European Commission also adopted a Zero Pollution Action Plan in May 2021 which, among other things, includes a target of reducing by 50% plastic litter at sea and of 30% micro plastics released into the environment by 2030; one of this Plan’s flagships is to reduce marine litter through EU threshold values to be set under the MSFD. The 2nd Zero Pollution Monitoring and Outlook Report was published on 3 March 2025.

In Preparation

Name: Proposal for a Regulation on Plastic Pellets Losses
Brief Description:
The Regulation on plastic pellets losses to reduce microplastic pollution was provisionally agreed on by the Council and the Parliament in April 20256 . It will now have to be formally adopted by the Council and the Parliament. The regulation will become applicable 2 years after publication published in the Official Journal of the EU. Once applicable, all stages of the pellet supply chain will have to handle pellets according to the rules and requirements set in the Regulation. Pellet losses are the 3rd largest source of unintentional microplastic pollution in Europe.

2: Report on the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (europa.eu)

3: Commission Notice on Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC)

4: Report from the commission on the measures under the Marine Strategy Framework

5: MSFD Technical Group on Marine Litter (europa.eu)

6: Plastic pellet losses: Council and Parliament agree on new rules to reduce microplastic pollution

 

Indicators and/or Targets

■ Plastic Recycling:
Indicators:
Targets (if any): 77% separate collection target for plastic bottles by 2025 – increasing to 90% by 2029 & incorporating 25% of recycled plastic in PET beverage bottles from 2025, and 30% in all plastic beverage bottles from 20307. As of 1st January 2025, EU Member States shall set up national annual collection targets for waste fishing gear for recycling.
 
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) introduced minimum recycled content in plastic packaging. By 2030, plastic packaging must contain a minimum of 10% to 35% recycled content, depending on the type of plastic and its application. By 2040, these targets increase to 25% to 65%. Moreover, it mandates that all packaging be recyclable by 2030.
 
In order to ensure more and better-quality recycling and prevent littering, the PPWR contains also an obligation on Member States to set up Deposit and Return Systems for plastic bottles and metal cans of up to 3 litters. To help consumers sort their waste properly, the new Regulation contains the basis for a full harmonization of waste sorting labels. Finally, the Regulation encourages refill in the take-away sector for beverages and foods by obliging final distributors to allow consumers to bring their own containers to be filled and by obliging them to give consumers the option of obtaining the goods in re-usable packaging at no higher cost.

■ Plastic Use Reduction:
Indicators:
Targets (if any): The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation contains targets requiring Member States to reduce packaging waste by 5% by 2030 with reference to year 2018 as the base-year; the targets gradually increase reaching 15% by 20408.
 
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation contains reuse targets in certain sectors (transport packaging, beverages) applicable directly on economic operators, and packaging bans on: (a) on single-use plastic packaging for unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables, (b) on single-use plastic packaging for foods and beverages filled an consumed withing the premises, (c) on single-use plastic packaging for condiments, preserves, sauces, coffee creamer, sugar, etc, and (d) on single-use packaging in the accommodation sector.

■ Beach Cleanup:
Indicators:
A target threshold value for beach litter (i.e. 20 litter items/100 m of coastline), has been established in 2020 (see the JRC Technical Report on A European Threshold Value and Assessment Method for Macro Litter on Coastlines), which is estimated to reduce harm from beach litter to a sufficiently precautionary level.

■ Ghost Fishing Gear Recovery:
Indicators:
Targets (if any): Under the SUPD, from 31 December 20249, extended producer responsibility applies for fishing gear. EU Member States are requested to set national targets for collection rates of waste fishing gear containing plastic for recycling and to report annually how many tonnes of different categories of new gear components have reached the market and how many tonnes of waste gear has been collected.

■ Others:
Indicators:
In the PPWR, Member States shall incentivize restaurants to serve their customers tap water, where available, free of charge.

7: Single-use plastics - European Commission (europa.eu)

8: New EU rules to reduce, reuse and recycle packaging | News | European Parliament (europa.eu)

9: Commission implementation Decision – fishing gear placed on the market

 

Technical Standards, Guidelines and Methodologies

Topics:
■ Others:

Brief Description:
A Joint list of litter categories has been developed, so that collected data are recorded in a harmonised way. The harmonized EU monitoring guidelines were updated in 20239.

9: Guidance on the monitoring of marine litter in European seas - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu)

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Measures

Measures across Value Chain
Actions for encouraging sustainable / circular product design (example: improved durability, reparability, recyclability, reduction of material use per product…etc.) Yes

Specific Measures:
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation entered into force in July 2024 and aims to improve the circularity, energy performance and other environmental sustainability aspects of products placed on the EU market. This instrument will enable targeted ecodesign rules (covering both performance and information requirements) to be laid down for a very wide range of products on the EU market, to make them more durable, reparable, recyclable, increase recycled content and make them more energy and resource efficient, amongst many other things. It also introduces other tools, including measures to prevent the destruction of unsold consumer goods. Priority products and areas for action will be set out in multiannual working plans.

Policy actions for encouraging plastic alternatives, recycled materials at production stage. Yes

Specific Measures:
■ Use of biodegradable plastics
■ Use of recycled materials
Brief Description:
The 2022 EC Policy framework on biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics clarified the role these plastics can play in a sustainable and circular economy. In particular, it clarified the opportunities and challenges of these plastics as well as the conditions to be met for these plastics to make a genuine contribution to sustainability and a circular economy. Recycled content targets have been set in the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive and in PPWR.

Steps taken towards restricting microplastics in products. Yes

Specific Measures:
Targeted Products
■ Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
■ Others (Please specify: detergents and cleaning products, fertilisers, medical devices, infill materials)
Brief Description:
The Regulation on microplastics intentionally added to products restricts microplastics intentionally added to products, e.g. in cosmetics paints, detergents, fertilisers, artificial infill for synthetic turfs. The European Chemicals Agency reviewed the scientific basis for considering a restriction under REACH and concluded that “health & environmental risks justify an EU-wide restriction”. ECHA scientific committees assessed the measure and adopted their opinion. The EU-wide restriction covers intentionally added microplastics in multiple applications including agriculture, horticulture, cosmetic products, paints, coatings, detergents, maintenance products, infill material in artificial turfs, medical and pharmaceutical applications. The definition of microplastics used in the restriction is broad in scope, covering all synthetic particles measuring less than five millimetres that are organic, insoluble and resist (bio)degradation.

Reduce single-use plastic (shopping bags, straws etc.) by regulations or voluntary measures (such as ban, levy, others) Yes

■ Regulatory Measures (ex: production ban, Ban on use..etc)
Brief Description:
Where sustainable alternatives are easily available and affordable (e.g. cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, and sticks for balloons), single-use plastic products cannot be placed on the market (article 5 of the SUP Directive).
 
■ Economic Measures (levy, tax, subsidies…etc.)
Brief Description:
Charge for single-use plastic products
 
■ Informational Measures (guideline, standards…etc.)
Brief Description:
Under the SUP Directive articles 7 and 10, the EU is focusing on limiting the use for single-use plastic products through reducing consumption through awareness-raising measures and through introducing labelling requirements to inform consumers about the plastic content of products, disposal options that are to be avoided, and harm done to nature if the products are littered in the environment.

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Introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Yes

Specific Measures:

Targeted Products The Waste Framework Directive lays down rules for EPR. EPR is included in various EU legislation and applies to various domains, such as on single-use plastics and waste.
Nature of Responsibility ■ Financial responsibility
■ Operational responsibility
-
Modality Mandatory EPR
■ Product take back 		Voluntary EPR
-
Brief Description
 The new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation also sets clear obligations on extended producer responsibility, obliging producers to register and pay EPR fees in every Member State where they make packaging or packaged products available on the market for the first time. Member States are obliged to set up inter-connected producer registers.

The SUP Directive (Article 8) obliges EU Member States to establish extended producer responsibility schemes for all single-use plastic products listed in the directive.

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Improve waste management and recycling system Yes

Specific Measures:
EU Waste Framework Directive
In relation to waste management, the EU Member States have implemented effective separate (household) collection schemes and have built in economic incentives for better waste treatment (e.g. landfill/ incineration charges) as well as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes.
 
In May 2018, the EU revised its waste legislation to make it fit for the future. In the context of the prevention of waste, the revised EU Waste Framework Directive requires Member States to identify products that are the main sources of littering, notably in natural and marine environment, and take appropriate measures to prevent and reduce litter from such products. The Directive also requires Member States to develop and support information campaigns to raise awareness about waste prevention and littering. In the future, Member States management plans will have to contain measures to combat and prevent all forms of littering and to clean up all types of litter. With regard to enforcement, they are required to take the necessary measures to prohibit the abandonment, dumping or uncontrolled management of waste, including littering.

Promoting plastic waste re-use, recycling and recovery opportunities Yes

Specific Measures:
The PPWR contains reuse targets in certain sectors (transport packaging, beverages) applicable directly on economic operators. The SUP Directive contains awareness raising measures to promote reusable options.

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Install capturing trap/filter on drainage/river -
Conduct clean-up activities in rivers/ wetlands/ beaches/ coasts/ coral reefs/ sea floor, involving local communities involving local communities Yes

Specific Measures:
Every year, since 2018, the EU, in partnership with the UN, organises an ocean-activism and awareness-raising campaign - #EUBeachCleanup – featuring beach, river banks, and various clean-up events across the world.

On the occasion of World Clean-up Day in September 2018, some 50 EU delegations and representations joined NGOs, embassies, schools and volunteer networks to organise beach clean activities across the world. A year later, over 80 countries took part in the #EUBeachCleanup campaign. Such activities took also place in 2020 and 2021. In 2023, 45,700 participants took part in 555 events, in 44 countries across all inhabited continents11.

As part of the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030, the Plastic Pirates – Go Europe! empowered children to take action against plastic pollution. By engaging young people as citizen scientists it also contributed valuable data for scientific analysis. Since 2022, over 16 000 children from 13 European countries have participated in the programme to find and categorise 93 718 plastic items recovered at more than 350 rivers, waterways, and coastal areas. They followed a scientific approach developed by the project. Their findings were then validated and analysed by researchers.

The EEA Marine Litter Watch organises beach litter data collection events via Marine Litter Watch (MLW) communities. The project database provides an overview and assessment of the data on macro beach litter in European seas and freshwaters, which was collected at the European beaches by MLW communities since 2013. EEA MLW is a citizen/community science initiative, which aims to strengthen Europe’s knowledge base on beach litter. 2.5 million beach litter items were collected and reported by the initiative since 2013.

 

11: EU beach cleanup - European Commission (europa.eu)

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Issue-specific Measures
＜1＞ Abandoned, Lost and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG)
Taken/to be taken National Level Action and/or Community Level Action on Clean sea initiatives including ghost net retrieval, ocean-bound plastics etc. Yes

Specific Measures:
The EU supports “Fishing for litter” projects that aim to reduce marine litter by involving one of the key stakeholders, the fishing industry. Fishing boats are given big bags to collect the plastics, ghost gear and other debris that gathers in their nets during normal fishing activities. When the fishing boats come into port, they can unload the bags of litter. These bags are collected regularly and the rubbish is recycled or disposed of on land12.

12: Learn more (fishingforlitter.org)
Taken actions for preventing abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) being generated. Yes

Specific Measures:
The standard for circular design of fishing gear should provide the level playing field for organizations to develop higher quality and lower environmental impact fishing gear that is easily reused, repaired, re-manufactured, and recycled at the end-of-life stage, and should provide organizations the opportunity to act sustainably for healthier planet. The EN 17988 series, published in November 2024, provides clear guidelines to minimize environmental harm and support circular economy, in alignment with the Port Reception Facilities (PRF) Directive and the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive. The standards cover all aspects of a product's life cycle, from initial design to disposal or recycling, ensuring that materials can be reused, repaired or repurposed effectively.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 (’the Control Regulation’) establishes a control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy, as recently amended by Regulation (EU) (2023/2842)13, requires European Union fishing vessels to be equipped to retrieve lost gear and to electronically record in their fishing logbooks any gear lost at sea. This includes relevant details such as the type of gear, approximate dimensions, and the date and location of the loss. In addition, EU Member States are required to collect and record the information concerning lost gear and the measures undertaken and report this information to the European Commission on request. The revised Control Regulation mandates the Commission to develop secondary legislation which entails a revision of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011 of 8 April 2011, laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009. Such secondary legislation is expected to provide further specifications on the marking of fishing gear and details to be recorded in the fishing logbook, including those concerning gear lost at sea.

13: Regulation - 1224/2009 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu)
Created/creating collection/recycling mechanism for ALDFG -
＜2＞ Port Waste Reception
For waste management in ports, please provide details regarding their solid waste management practices/facilities including:
Whether there is an applicable legal framework Yes

Brief Description:
The Port Reception Facilities directive regulates the delivery of waste from ships to port reception facilities (PRFs) and ensures that ships can dispose of their waste appropriately while in port. It sets out requirements for Member States to establish a network of reception facilities that can receive waste generated by ships, including solid waste, cargo residues, sewage, and oily waste.

The institution(s) responsible for (or playing a central role in, if voluntary action) managing the waste from ships? (example: port management authority, fishers' association...etc.) Yes

Brief Description:
The primary responsibility for managing waste from ships lies with port authorities. They are responsible for ensuring that port reception facilities (PRFs) are available for ships to deliver their waste. National maritime authorities play a central role in ensuring that ships comply with EU regulations.

Whether ports possess waste reception facilities/systems to handle solid waste from ships, the volume of waste collected and the percentage of ports with waste reception facilities? Yes

Volume of Waste Collected:
In 2023, around 855,000 m³ of oily waste was delivered to ports within the EU, with the majority consisting of oily residues (sludge) and tank washings (slops), followed by bilge water. Additionally, approximately 59,000 m³ of noxious liquid substances, 250,000 m³ of sewage, and 6,500 m³ of residues, mainly from exhaust gas cleaning systems, were reported14.

14: European Maritime Transport Environmental Report 2025
The handling procedures for each distinct waste stream once onshore. Yes

Brief Description:
The overarching EU Waste Framework Directive applies to all waste management practices in the EU, including waste generated/collected in ports. It sets the general framework for waste management, focusing on waste prevention, recycling, recovery, and disposal.
Partnership and Innovation
Boost multi-stakeholder involvement and awareness-raising Yes

Specific Measures:
Plastics Circularity Multiplier Group

Twenty innovation projects teamed up to support the EU efforts to steer the plastics industry into the circular economy. The recently formed Plastics Circularity Multiplier Group will share resources and expertise to enhance the impact of the projects receiving funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation funding programme. More specifically, the Plastics Circularity Multiplier group will communicate to policymakers, the public and industry on a range of EU-funded innovations on plastics.
 
Awareness Raising Campaign
The European Commission launched an awareness raising campaign to highlight the role of citizens in combatting plastic pollution and marine litter. Together with the United Nations Environment Programme and other partners, the Commission coordinates a global network of aquariums to raise public awareness about plastic pollution. Leading by example, the European Commission has also phased out all single-use plastic cups in water fountains and vending machines in all its buildings and at all meetings.
 
The EU not only finances dedicated projects focused on awareness-raising but also requires dissemination and communication activities in almost all EU-funded projects against litter. (See also the Beach clean-up day as described in section 3.1.9.)
 
One of the main objectives of the Horizon Europe Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters’ (see section 3.3.4) is to promote stakeholders awareness and public engagement. So far, in April 2025, more than 1,000 organisations (countries, regions, and a wide range of stakeholders) have signed the Mission Charter15, and pledge actions to reach the objectives of the Mission, including reducing by at least 50% plastic litter at se, and reducing by at least 30% microplastics released into the environment.
 
In addition, the Mission Ocean and Waters is supporting relevant projects, like PROBLEU16, to promote ocean and waters literacy at schools.

15: Horizon Europe

16: Bleu Schools
Encourage/ Incentivize action by private sector companies to reduce/ sustainably manage their plastic waste. Yes

Specific Measures:
European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform
The European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform is a joint initiative of the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee. It is an online platform to exchange best practices, knowledge and strategies to accelerate the transition towards the circular economy. As a place for knowledge, the platform features different contributions from stakeholders: good practices, national, regional and local strategies, studies and reports on the Circular Economy and commitments. In the section "good practices", stakeholders are able to submit directly their experiences to the platform. The sections on national, regional, and local strategies, on knowledge and on voluntary commitments feature examples of the type of contribution we wish to collect. Many projects and initiatives on plastics, including their alternatives, can be found in the Platform’s database, which is being continuously updated.

Encourage public awareness on MPL issues through formal education system and/or curriculum for Yes

Specific Measures:
The EU4Ocean coalition, launched in 2020, connects a wide range of organisations, projects, and individuals committed to advancing ocean literacy and supporting sustainable ocean stewardship. It consists of three main communities: the EU4Ocean Platform, the Youth4Ocean Forum, and the Network of European Blue Schools.
 
Network of European Blue Schools
The Network of European Blue Schools aims to inspire and support teachers and schools, from kindergarten, to upper secondary, as well as technical and vocational schools in integrating ocean-related issues into classroom learning. By successfully completing a blue project, schools receive the European Blue School label. Common project topics include marine litter, sustainability, climate change, the environment, and the blue economy. In April 2025, the network connects 577 schools from 26 Member States. Recognised as a best-case example, this EU network has inspired the creation of a global blue school network promoted by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.

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Promote innovative solutions through Research & Development (e.g., subsidy program, investment fund etc.) Yes

Specific Measures:
EU Research and Innovation
Through the EU Research and Innovation Programmes Horizon 2020 (2014-2020) the European Union has funded a number of projects to prevent marine litter and reduce its impact as well as to increase its knowledge base and inform citizens, for example CLAIM, GOJELLY, TOPIOS, SeaChange, ResponSeable, EUROqCHARM, SEALIVE, Bio-Plastics Europe, MAELSTROM, In-No-Plastic, or LABPLAS.
 
In the new Research and Innovation Programme (2021-2027), Horizon Europe, specific area for research on seas, the ocean and inland waters, and a dedicated Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030', are envisaged for strengthening knowledge and understanding in order to protect, restore and sustainably manage marine, inland and coastal ecosystems and prevent pollution, including marine litter. With its systemic approach, the Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030' addresses ocean and waters as one and play a key role in achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature by reducing plastic litter at sea, nutrient losses and the use of chemical pesticides and by making the blue economy climate-neutral and circular with zero-net maritime emissions.
 
In the Horizon Europe work programme 2025, two topics address litter and pollution

  • HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-05: Towards a comprehensive European strategy to assess and monitor aquatic litter including plastic and microplastic pollution (indicative budget EUR 6 million)
  • HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-06: Cumulative impacts of marine pollution on marine organisms and ecosystems (indicative budget EUR 12 million)

In each annual work programme of the Mission Ocean and Waters, there are specific topics supporting the fight against pollution through research and innovation, as well as public mobilisation, for instance:

  • Actions to prevent, minimise and remediate chemical pollution, in major sea or river basins: Atlantic-Arctic, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic-North Sea, and Danube-Black Sea.
  • Prevent and eliminate litter, plastics and micro-plastics in rivers
  • Marine litter and pollution – Technological solutions to prevent the environmental impact of marine activities (e.g. fishing gears).

Moreover, through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), the EU can finance projects to prevent and fight marine litter, supporting concrete methodologies and technologies for reducing the volume and harmfulness of sea-based sources of marine litter and for collecting and removing it in an environmentally sound and efficient way. Member States can also support investments in port facilities to separately collect and treat waste from ships, including fishing gear and passively fished waste.
 
Projects financed under the previous programming period (2014-2020) are, for example:
 
MarGnet (http://www.margnet.eu)
AQUA-LIT (https://aqua-lit.eu/)
NetTag (http://net-tag.eu)
BLUENET (https://www.bluenetproject.eu/)
OCEANETS (http://oceanets.eu/).
 
A comprehensive list of relevant research projects was compiled by the MSFD Technical Group on Marine Litter (https://mcc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/main/dev.py?N=41&O=464)

Monitoring, Data Management, Understanding Flow of Plastics/MPL
Conduct Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of plastic products. What are the challenges if LCA is not conducted? -
Conduct Material Flow Analysis (MFA) on plastics. What are the challenges if MFA is not conducted? Yes

Scope: ■ Regional
Brief Description:
The EU has conducted studies on mass flow analysis model for the value chain of plastics to improve the quality of data and the modelling of plastics mass flows in Europe17 18.
 
“From source to sea — The untold story of marine litter report— European Environment Agency” aims to provide a comprehensive and holistic assessment of the drivers, sources, pathways, and impacts of marine litter, particularly focusing on plastic pollution. It adopts a "source-to-sea" framework, recognising the interconnection between plastic production, waste generation, riverine transport, and marine accumulation. The assessment seeks to inform policy makers effectively by providing a comprehensive picture for the plastic pollution in Europe.
 
Marine litter primarily originates from mismanaged plastic waste, particularly packaging materials and small consumer plastics. The assessment identifies key waste management failures that contribute to plastic leakage into the environment. Material Flow Analysis (MFA) was used to track plastic production, consumption, and disposal, focusing on plastic packaging and small non-packaging items (PPSI), which dominate marine litter. This helps quantify the pressure exerted by plastic consumption on the environment.
 
Challenges (if applicable): Uncertainties in plastic waste data

17: Modelling plastic flows in the European Union value chain

18: Modelling plastic product flows and recycling in the EU
Conduct monitoring / estimation / scientific research on leakage of plastics/microplastics to the natural environment and/or flow of ocean surface.
What are the challenges if these actions are not conducted? 		Yes

Specific Measures:
■ Established a monitoring/reporting program/mechanism

Scope: ■ Regional ■ Microplastics （<5㎜） ■ others: rivers, soils, air etc.

Brief Description:
The EEA established a microplastic releases proxy indicator for the monitoring of the EU Zero Pollution Action Plan target. ETC HE Report 2024/15: Microplastic releases in the European Union — Eionet Portal describes the methodology for the proxy indicator. This study assesses progress towards the Zero Pollution Action Plan (ZPAP) goal of reducing microplastic emissions into the environment by 30% by 2030. Following the European Commission's Impact Assessment Report “Combatting microplastic pollution in the European Union”, this study examines trends from 2016 to 2022 in key sources of microplastics, including tyre abrasion, plastic pellets, paints and textiles and develops qualitative and semi-quantitative analyses.
 
Challenges (if applicable): absence of regular plastic releases monitoring data creates uncertainties in the estimations.

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International Collaboration
Participate in international cooperation through international organizations, multi-national groups, etc. Yes

Specific Measures:
Around the EU, the four Regional Sea Conventions (in Mediterranean, Northeast Atlantic, Baltic and the Black Sea) developed and implemented, with EU technical and financial support, plans against marine litter.
 
The EU finances projects in its Neighbourhood that provide technical assistance to stakeholders and promotes regional cooperation (Mediterranean and Black Sea) and the Commission services are working on large projects that will contribute to marine litter reduction internationally, for example in Southeast Asia. For instance, the Indonesia Policy Dialogue Fund, supported by the EU with EUR 6.3 million, has a programme focused on the reduction of marine debris19.
 
The EU plays a central role to achieve international decision-making on trans-boundary movements of most plastic waste subject to the controls of the Basel Convention; new rules entered into force in 2021; they will improve controls on exports and imports of plastic waste. Countries on the receiving end will be able to refuse foreign shipments of mixed and unsorted plastic waste. It is important to stress that the EU has stricter rules than the Basel Convention: this means that, from 2021, it will be prohibited for the EU to export plastic waste covered by the Basel Convention to countries outside the OECD. The EU is signatory of the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Marine environment and Coastal Region of the Mediterranean.
 
The EU plays a key role in the Clean Oceans Initiative, launched in 2018 to tackle marine plastic pollution by financing waste management and circular economy projects in countries with high plastic leakage. The joint aims to reduce plastic waste leakage into the oceans by financing circular economy and waste management projects in countries where marine litter originates most heavily.
 
The EU and Member States play a leading role in International Maritime Organisation (IMO) pushing for, amongst others, stronger regulations on fishing gear marking and retrieval, enhanced measures against ghost gear and global reporting requirements for waste lost or discharged at sea. Through EU development cooperation, the EU co-finances IMO projects aimed at improving waste management capacities in developing countries.
 
The EU is contributing to the UNEP Global Platform on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter and working towards the development of a global monitoring system for plastic and marine litter, also by supporting the Integrated Marine Debris Observing System initiative. Through organisation of global scale scientific expert community workshops, e.g. on Seafloor Macro Litter, the harmonised of monitoring methods and strategies are addressed.

19: Indonesia Policy Dialogue Fund
Support target region by your international cooperation initiatives/projects: South, Central and Southeast Asia -

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Challenges

 

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Best Practices

■ National Level

Description:

  1. Comprehensive approach to plastic production, use and disposal in the EU's Plastic Strategy as part of the EU's Circular Economy Action Plan
  2. Binding legislation for monitoring and assessing marine litter, for defining acceptable thresholds, setting targets and for taking measures to reduce quantities of litter and harm from litter
  3. Integrated approach covering all sources of plastic litter and microplastics
  4. Legislation on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, targeting the top 10 single-use plastic products most often found on Europe’s beaches and seas as well as fishing gear containing plastics
  5. Legislation on port reception facilities for the delivery of waste from ships, including from fishing vessels and delivery of passively fished waste without additional fee.
  6. Establishment of baselines for marine litter quantities in the coastal and marine environment
  7. Work towards the establishment of regulatory thresholds to prevent harm from litter in the marine coastal environment, including socio-economic aspects
  8. International and regional approach, coordination with neighbouring countries and third countries

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Further Information

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Contact Details

Name: Giovanni Santambrogio
Position: Policy Officer
Division: DG Environment
Organization: European Commission
Email: giovanni.santambrogio@ec.europa.eu

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