German industry bodies oppose planned plastics tax from 2027
Three German trade associations, IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen, Plasticseurope Deutschland and VDMA Kunststoff- und Gummimaschinen, have rejected a government plan to tax industrial plastic precursors, including films, semi-finished goods and transport and packaging materials, at EUR 550 per tonne from 2027. The associations argue the levy would disadvantage German producers because packaged goods imported from the EU and third countries remain exempt, and dispute the finance ministry's revenue estimate of EUR 1.49bn as too high.
Why this mattersA per-tonne levy exempting imported packaged goods would raise costs for German plastics packaging producers relative to foreign competitors supplying the same market.
- Proposed tax of EUR 550 per tonne on industrial plastic precursors such as films, semi-finished goods, transport and packaging materials, effective 2027
- Finance ministry estimates annual revenue of EUR 1.49bn; the associations estimate around EUR 1bn once tax-free imports are deducted
- Packaged goods imported from the EU and third countries would remain tax-exempt under the plan
- German government plans 788 new customs jobs to enforce the tax
- Only 900 external audits per year are planned for more than 47,000 companies subject to reporting obligations, implying each firm is checked roughly once every 50 years
- IK, Plasticseurope Deutschland and VDMA's plastics and rubber machinery division jointly oppose the plan
- 33 German industry associations, led by Allianz Verpackung und Umwelt, signed a joint statement against the plastics tax on 9 October 2026, widening the opposition beyond the original three associations
- The finance ministry estimates annual compliance cost to industry at about EUR 44m plus a one-off EUR 8.8m transition cost, which the associations say understates the true burden
- Signatories argue the tax duplicates obligations already imposed under extended producer responsibility, the single-use plastics fund and the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
- Germany's yellow-bin plastic packaging recycling rate rose from 42% in 2018 to 70.8% in 2024, according to the Federal Environment Agency
- A joint statement signed by more than 30 associations, including BVSE and the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), was published on 9 October 2026
- The associations say the tax would duplicate existing EPR schemes, the single-use plastics fund and PPWR compliance costs
- They propose eco-modulated packaging fees that reward recyclability and recycled content instead of a flat tax
- In the Netherlands, compliance organisation Verpact has announced further fee reductions from 2027 for packaging using European-sourced recycled plastics