Since 2000, the European paper value chain has been committed to the two-fold aim of improving recycling and increasing efforts to remove obstacles hampering paper recycling in Europe. The signatories of the new European Declaration on Paper Recycling 2021-20301 committed to reach a 76% paper recycling rate by 2030. 

75.1% of all paper and board consumed in 2024 in Europe was recycled. The recycling rate is defined as the ratio between the recycling of used paper, including net trade of Paper for Recycling (PfR), and consumption of new paper and board. In a year-to-year comparison, the total amount of paper and board collected and recycled in the paper sector in 2024 decreased by 0.4% to 53.4 million tonnes, while consumption of paper and board increased by 5.2% to 71.1 million tonnes. As consumption of paper and board increased much more than the recycling of paper and board within and outside Europe, the recycling rate decreased from 79.3% in 2023 to 75.1% in 2024. 

EPRC Monitoring Report 2024 (July 2025)

More information: European Paper Recycling Council