On 1–5 December, experts from the WM4U Programme carried out a study visit to Vienna (Austria) as part of cooperation with the EU4Green Recovery East project, “Recovery through Circular Economy and Pollution Reduction in the Eastern Partnership Countries”, implemented by the Austrian Environment Agency (UBA).
The visit was also attended by representatives of the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Ukraine, the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, as well as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) organisations — UKRPEK and ROLOPAK. The main purpose of the trip was to support the alignment of Ukrainian packaging waste legislation with EU standards, exchange experience with Austrian colleagues and Swedish experts, and discuss key challenges in implementing legislation based on European practices.
The visit programme included tours of Austrian packaging waste recycling enterprises — PreZero International in Sollenau and PET-to-PET in Müllendorf — where Ukrainian experts became acquainted with modern technologies for sorting and recycling packaging materials. During meetings with the Austrian Ministry of Climate Action and the Austrian Environment Agency, participants discussed in detail the processes of drafting and implementing packaging waste legislation, the functioning of EPR systems, the role of municipalities in these processes, as well as monitoring, reporting, and coordination mechanisms.
Following the visit, Ukrainian experts gained practical knowledge on how packaging waste management systems are organised, which can be applied in Ukraine. This exchange of experience is expected to help refine draft laws and regulatory documents, harmonise approaches to integrating European practices into national legislation, and develop recommendations for the effective implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility systems in Ukrainian communities. In addition, the visit strengthened the capacity of Ukrainian ministries to conduct further dialogue with stakeholders, including other ministries, parliament, and the private sector.
This visit became an important step in enhancing Ukraine’s cooperation with European partners and gaining practical experience in implementing modern packaging waste management systems based on circular economy principles.