EUROPEN, the European organisation for packaging and environment, has called on the European Commission and EU governments to ensure that production facilities essential to packaging supply-chains can continue operating amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a statement, the organisation said that packaging is an ‘essential’ component of the product groups which have been identified by the commission as critical, with ‘health-related and perishable goods’ being listed as examples. EUROPEN added that, to support self-isolation measures, an uninterrupted delivery of pre-packed goods from factories is ‘critical’.
The statement continued, “We welcome the recent Commission guidance on border management to establish a coordinated EU response and urge Member States to observe it. However, delays and disruption at country borders have been observed for the delivery of (packaged) products and packaging materials.
“As a matter of priority, we call on the Commission to lead on securing the enabling conditions necessary for continuity of essential product and service supply chains by creating ‘green lanes’ for free-movement of essential goods, vehicles and their drivers, as well as essential engineers.”
