Call for the selection of a third party responsible for identifying companies qualified to carry out product composition analyses on packaging waste

To ensure the implementation of the principle of shared responsibility for packaging waste management among producers, users and public administrations, the National Association of Italian Municipalities (“ANCI”) and CONAI have entered into the Framework Programme for the management of packaging waste delivered to the public service (“ANCI–CONAI Framework Agreement”), valid from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2024.

The ANCI–CONAI Framework Agreement is the mechanism through which the CONAI EPR Organisation guarantees Italian municipalities coverage of the costs they incur for the separate collection of packaging waste.

The Agreement consists of a General Section, which sets out principles and general operating procedures applicable from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2024, and Technical Annexes, one for each material, which govern the agreements that each municipality, directly or through a delegated entity, may enter into with each Packaging Material Consortium.

Article 5.3 of the ANCI–CONAI Framework Agreement, entitled “Criteria for defining the quality of packaging waste delivered under agreement”, states that the Technical Annexes must govern the qualitative characteristics of separate collection and the methods and conditions for monitoring activities, including unannounced checks. The Annexes must also ensure that sampling and subsequent product composition analyses are statistically representative, transparent, objective and independent.

To meet these requirements, the article provides that an institutional body is to be appointed to select a third party responsible for selecting the companies qualified to perform product composition analyses for each material (the “Operational Companies”). This is conducted through a competitive procedure and in accordance with technical and operational guidelines agreed between ANCI, CONAI and the Packaging Material Consortia (each for its respective supply chain).

Once selected, the Operational Companies are contracted by the respective Packaging Material Consortia to carry out the product composition analyses, which must be performed in accordance with the aforementioned technical guidelines.

Following a recommendation from the Conference of Italian University Rectors, CONAI and ANCI have appointed a three‑member Commission as the “Institutional Body” responsible for selecting the Third Party, through a procedure conducted in line with the criteria, deadlines and conditions described below.

For further information, please contact: bandosoggettoterzo@conai.org