Draft UC100 (version dated 30 June 2026): observations on the compliance of the proposed Polish extended producer responsibility model with European Union law
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17512/INSTAL.2026.09.06Keywords:
extended producer responsibility, EPR, UC100 draft legislation, packaging fee, eco-modulation, recycling at scale, food-contact packaging safety, packaging wasteAbstract
The article examines the compatibility of the proposed Polish extended producer responsibility model for packaging, as set out in the UC100 draft dated 30 June 2026, with European Union law. The assessment is based on Articles 8 and 8a of Directive 2008/98/EC, the polluter pays principle, the principle of effectiveness of EU law, and Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste. Particular attention is paid to the designation of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management as the public Packaging EPR Organisation, the financing of municipalities and other system participants, net-cost calculation, financial transparency, fee modulation, and the transitional rule in Article 208. The analysis also addresses food-contact safety, the protective and barrier functions of packaging, prevention of food waste, and the need to assess whether packaging is actually collected, sorted and recycled at industrial scale. A centralised model is not, as such, contrary to EU law. Its compliance nevertheless depends on a genuine link between fees and auditable net costs, measurable eco-modulation, transparent redistribution, a clear allocation of responsibilities, and preservation of producers' influence on the environmental performance of the system.
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