Article 15Evaluation and review
1
The Commission shall carry out an evaluation of this Directive by 3 July 2027. The evaluation shall be based on the information available in accordance with Article 13. Member States shall provide the Commission with any additional information necessary for the purposes of the evaluation and the preparation of the report referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article.
2
The Commission shall submit a report on the main findings of the evaluation carried out in accordance with paragraph 1 to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee. The report shall be accompanied by a legislative proposal, if appropriate. That proposal shall, if appropriate, set binding quantitative consumption reduction targets and set binding collection rates for waste fishing gear.
3
The report shall include:
a
an assessment of the need to review the Annex listing single-use plastic products, including as regards caps and lids made of plastic which are used for glass and metal beverage containers;
b
a study of the feasibility of establishing binding collection rates for waste fishing gear and binding quantitative Union targets for the consumption reduction of, in particular, single-use plastic products listed in Part A of the Annex, taking into account consumption levels and already achieved reductions in Member States;
c
an assessment of the change in materials used in the single-use plastic products covered by this Directive as well as of new consumption patterns and business models based on re-usable alternatives; this shall, wherever possible, include an overall life cycle analysis to assess the environmental impact of such products and their alternatives; and
d
an assessment of the scientific and technical progress concerning criteria or a standard for biodegradability in the marine environment applicable to single-use plastic products within the scope of this Directive and their single-use substitutes which ensure full decomposition into carbon dioxide (CO2), biomass and water within a timescale short enough for the plastics not to be harmful to marine life and not to lead to an accumulation of plastics in the environment.
4
As part of the evaluation carried out pursuant to paragraph 1, the Commission shall review the measures taken under this Directive as regards single-use plastic products listed in Section III of Part E of the Annex and shall submit a report on the main findings. The report shall also consider the options for binding measures for the reduction of the post-consumption waste of single-use plastic products listed in Section III of Part E of the Annex, including the possibility of setting binding collection rates for that post-consumption waste. The report shall, if appropriate, be accompanied by a legislative proposal.