This year, we also met each other frequently: at trade fairs, conferences, webinars, seminars and during the now well-established Masterclasses at Optimum Group locations. Despite all the changes, one constant stood out: the willingness to take action remains remarkably strong. Attendance at the Masterclasses was once again as high as last year, but the depth of the discussions clearly increased. We also saw this reflected in the many cards you left in De Doos — signals that you want to continue discussing your situation, your choices and your packaging with us.

That gives reason for optimism. The belief that we need the entire chain is widely shared. The establishment of PackSense therefore seems to have come at exactly the right moment: willingness needs to be converted into action, and the need for direction is greater than ever.

In two months, the format of the producer register will be published, and six months later the first articles of the PPWR will enter into force. We hope that the insights from the past year have been helpful to you and that we may support you again in 2026. If 2025 was the year of insight, 2026 will be the year of implementation. The PPWR will not be delayed or softened. While other Green Deal initiatives have been postponed or adjusted, it has been explicitly confirmed that the PPWR’s content and timelines remain intact. It is really going to happen — and it is achievable.

The Netherlands is leading in the processing of packaging waste. Do not be misled by sometimes tendentious reporting: our foundation is strong. But that does not mean there is no room for improvement. Innovation projects in recycling, closed-loop systems, new reusable packaging, monomaterials and chain collaborations show that the movement is well underway. The objective is clear: a circular packaging stream, reduced use of fossil resources and lower environmental impact.

Where industry is willing to contribute, the greatest risk now lies with the recycling sector. The place where our efforts materialise is under significant pressure. Cheap material from outside the EU is driving margins down, several recycling companies disappeared from the market this year and capacity is shrinking precisely at the moment when the PPWR will require a substantial increase in recycled content. This is a responsibility that only politics can address. Without measures to retain capacity here, we will become dependent on markets outside the EU for exactly what the law will rely on.

The new cabinet will need to look beyond next Tuesday. The demand for recycled material is predictable, the required capacity is calculable, and many stakeholders are ready to work on it: businesses, universities, societal organisations, collaborations and consumers. But without comparable willingness and vision from the government, it will be an uphill battle.

For now: enjoy the festive season. Look at the packaging under the Christmas tree and imagine how it could look next year — when packaging waste is no longer the end of the chain but the raw material for the next. That is how the circle becomes visible, and — in that light — you are looking at past, present and future all at once. Wishing you warm and reflective holidays.