Answer given by Mr Hahn on behalf of the European Commission

19.10.2020

1. The own resource based on plastic packaging waste that is not recycled will, together with other own resources, contribute to finance the EU budget as from 2021. In accordance with the principle of unity of the budget, the plastic-based own resource is thus not assigned to a specific purpose. Its revenues will contribute to all the objectives pursued through the EU budget, including those to be financed by Next Generation EU.

2. The correction mechanism within the plastic-based own resource was agreed at the European Council of 17-21 July 2020. It reduces by a lump sum the national contributions of Member States that had a gross national income per capita below the EU average in 2017. The lump sum corresponds to one-fifth of the EU average per-capita quantity of non-recycled plastic packaging waste recorded in 2017, multiplied by the 2017 population resident in the country.

3. The plastic-based own resource is not a tax, but a national contribution to the EU budget, which provides an additional incentive to reduce plastic packaging waste and supports the EU recycling objectives. In full respect of subsidiarity, it will be up to the Member States to design the most suitable measures to achieve these objectives, by way of regulation or by promoting better recycling, or by raising a tax at national/local level if they deem it appropriate.