According to the 2019 EU rules on single-use plastics, by 3 July 2021, Member States have to ensure that certain single-use plastic products – e.g. cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates and straws etc. - are no longer placed on the EU market. For other plastic products, e.g. fishing gear, single use plastic bags, bottles, tobacco filters and sanitary items – their use has to be reduced and littering prevented through labelling requirements, extended producer responsibility schemes (“polluter pays principle”), awareness campaigns and product design requirements. The adopted Guidelines primarily elaborate on the definition of single use plastics and fishing gear. The biodegradable plastics and paper-based products with plastic coating or lining are regarded as plastics and cannot be used as alternatives to single use plastics.