EU Marine Litter Policy: Gaps and Recommendations
Overview
Marine litter is a systemic problem rooted in prevailing production and consumption patterns, material and product design choices, waste management structures, and behavioural practices. The EU has positioned itself as a global frontrunner in the fight against marine litter, adopting an ambitious policy framework encompassing circular economy principles, zero pollution objectives, and environmental protection goals. Nonetheless, a persistent misalignment exists between policy intent, implementation, and the scale of the challenge.
The Scale of the Problem
The continued accumulation of marine litter in oceans and on European and global coastlines suggests structural and operational weaknesses remain to be addressed. Latest data show that marine litter quantities in the EU stand at 203 items per 100 metres of coastline, far above the MSFD target of 20 items per 100 metres.
Methodology
The authors conducted a qualitative review of 22 EU legislative instruments and 11 international policy documents, identified through EUR-Lex keyword searches covering terms such as “waste,” “plastics,” “packaging,” and “circular economy.” The analysis was supported by nearly two decades of field experience in marine litter monitoring and multi-stakeholder engagement across 11 countries through the SeaClear2.0 project.
Key Policy Instruments Reviewed
The paper covers a broad range of EU policy tools, including the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the Waste Framework Directive, the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, the Ecodesign Regulation, and the newly adopted European Ocean Pact (2025). At the international level, instruments such as MARPOL, UNCLOS, the Basel Convention, and the emerging UN Plastics Treaty are assessed.
Identified Weaknesses and Loopholes
Structural weaknesses and implementation challenges identified include an insufficient focus on waste prevention, regulatory loopholes that enable the emergence of unsustainable product substitutes, disparities in waste management infrastructure across EU Member States, and a lack of harmonised and up-to-date data to support decision-making. For example, the SUPD’s bans on certain single-use plastics have been undermined by the emergence of thicker “reusable” plastic straws effectively treated as single-use. Microplastics released into the environment actually increased by 7–9%, contrary to the EU’s 30% reduction target. Plastic circularity in Europe remains low, with only around 15% of end-of-life plastics recycled into new materials.
Gaps in Specific Policy Areas
The Ecodesign Regulation notably omits plastics and polymers from its first work programme, limiting its contribution to reducing marine litter. The Port Reception Facilities Directive faces inconsistent implementation, with fees varying across ports in ways that incentivise vessels to dispose of waste based on cost rather than quality of management. The Plastic Bag Directive has driven reductions in lightweight bag consumption but may be inadvertently shifting demand toward very lightweight or heavier bags not covered by reporting requirements.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The findings highlight the need to move beyond fragmented responses towards a more coherent policy framework that prioritises upstream interventions and strengthens enforcement towards a truly circular approach to addressing marine litter. Evidence-based recommendations include stronger enforcement of existing bans, clearer product definitions to close regulatory loopholes, mandatory harmonised data collection across Member States, and greater investment in recycling infrastructure — particularly in Central and Eastern Europe where an estimated €6.7–8.6 billion gap exists.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2026.1810562/full