In 2023, the EU exported 8.5 million tonnes of recyclable products (paper, plastic and glass) to extra-EU countries, a 34% increase from 2022 (6.4 million tonnes), while imports dropped by 19% to 3.2 million tonnes, down from 4.0 million tonnes in 2022. Compared with 2013, these exports fell by 5%, from 9.0 to 8.5 million tonnes (mostly due to a 44% drop in plastic exports between 2013 and 2023), while imports remained stable at 3.2 million tonnes. (....)