The CESAM project hosted its first webinar, titled “Applicable Legislation on Circular Economy in the Agrifood Sector of the Mediterranean.” The session, organised by our partner ACCIÓ, focused on key legislation in Spain and France, with contributions from Terraqui (Catalonia), a law firm specializing in environmental law, and CTCPA (Occitanie), a technical center for the agrifood industry.
Spain and the EU: legal frameworks for water reuse and sustainable packaging
Terraqui highlighted the critical importance of water in agrifood production and the need for circular water management based on the 5Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle, restore, and recover. EU legislation sets minimum standards for water reuse, encouraging the use of regenerated water in agriculture, the valorisation of wastewater for biogas, and nutrient recovery.
Spanish law, however, prohibits water reuse in processes directly linked to food for human consumption, while allowing it in non-contact uses such as cooling or steam generation. On packaging, both EU and Spanish legislation promote reuse, eco-design, and the use of recycled or alternative materials. Compostable packaging must meet environmental criteria and include clear disposal instructions to avoid contributing to pollution or biodiversity loss.
France: ambitious targets to reduce waste and eliminate single-use plastics
CTCPA outlined France’s strong commitment to the circular economy. French legislation aims to cut food waste by 50% by 2030, eliminate unnecessary single-use plastics, and improve production processes. A national target has been set for 10% of all packaging on the market to be reusable by 2027.
The French framework also establishes three interim goals for 2025: 100% recycling of single-use packaging, a 20% reduction in single-use packaging (half through reuse or recycling), and the total phase-out of unnecessary plastic packaging. Water resource management is another priority, with 53 specific actions to support companies, detect leaks, and promote reuse—provided there is no direct or indirect contact with food. France also targets a 10% reduction in water consumption by 2030.
CESAM: promoting a circular transition in the Mediterranean
This first webinar marks a key milestone for the CESAM project, which aims to accelerate the adoption of circular economy practices across the Mediterranean agrifood sector by facilitating knowledge exchange and policy alignment between regions.
The complete recording of the webinar can be accessed through the ACCIÓ official YouTube channel.