Market Report

Awareness of upcoming regulations is gaining ground

NL-Tilburg, 1 March 2026
 

In the absence of market and/or price movements in the recycling markets, reporting in recent weeks has been increasingly dominated by the upcoming implementation of EU regulations. With internet sessions organised by, among others, ILT (Environment Agency) in the Netherlands, it is gradually becoming clear that the announced changes from paper to electronic Annex VII’s and the restriction, or even ban, on the export of recycled products are no longer sciencefiction, but will be introduced in the near future. Ignoring the coming impact of changing regulations on our sectors is similar to the situation of China's announced closure of its borders to recycled products. It wouldn't come to that. But it did. Looking back at what that has meant for our paper and plastic recycling sectors, we have to conclude: not that much, actually. The important difference between then and now? At the time, all countries exporting to China were affected, now only European countries are. This will soon create an uneven playing field with our competitors from other exporting countries and continents. Will it be a disaster? Certainly not, because we will all be in the same boat in Europe. We are local players in collection and purchasing, so we are all subject to the same regulations and cost factors such as (minimum) wages, energy and transport. The market will ultimately regulate this.
A greater threat therefore seems to be the EU regulations that focus on limiting and reusing products: reduce and reuse. These directives will result in smaller collected volumes, leaving the recycling sector, which is already struggling with overcapacity, with little choice but to consolidate and, not least, restructure. This process has been going on for some time, as evidenced by the bankruptcies or closures of plastic, scrap metal and now even paper recycling companies.

Meanwhile, the recovered paper market continues to tick along quietly. Buyers from importing countries in Southeast Asia and India are not particularly concerned about the upcoming EU measures. We'll see what happens, seems to be the attitude. This is understandable because even if exports from the EU are restricted, there are still plenty of exporting

countries where nothing will change. As a result, there is no nervousness and therefore no reason to apply higher prices for imports. There is still sufficient supply. It should be noted, however, that attempts to reduce prices for low grades in recent weeks have come to nothing. So, for the time being, everything remains as it was.

This also seems to be the case for local European prices for March. There are no problems with sales, but higher prices are not (yet) on the agenda either. Not for low grades and neither for the middle or high grades.

Price indication

Price indication in Europe for low grades of recovered paper, sorted, baled and ex works are now between € 60 and € 80 per tonne. These prices are depending on quality, available volume, region and loaded weight.

Look here at the Price chart >> 
  
The price chart gives an indication of the price  of mixed paper, separately collected, in the Netherlands free delivered mill over the last 10 years.
Scrolling over the top of the columns gives the exact price indication in Euro's per ton.