News

From 12 August 2026, the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will apply. This marks the beginning of a new phase in European legislation on packaging and packaging waste. Not all obligations will take effect immediately, but several important changes will come into force tomorrow.

Key points companies need to be aware of:

• Compliance becomes a new responsibility throughout the value chain. Manufacturers must conduct a conformity assessment for their packaging types and draw up an EU declaration of conformity. Importers and distributors will also have their own verification obligations.
• Companies must understand their role. The PPWR distinguishes between eight different roles and seven types of packaging. A single organisation may fulfil multiple roles and therefore have different responsibilities.
• PFAS limits will apply to food-contact packaging. From 12 August, packaging that exceeds the established concentration limits may no longer be placed on the European market.

At the same time, the practical implementation is not yet clear in every respect. In particular, questions remain regarding the interpretation of roles and the allocation of responsibilities throughout the value chain.

For shipping packaging, service packaging and primary production packaging, Verpact has therefore announced a temporary standstill. The European Commission has published an updated FAQ containing further clarification on various aspects of the PPWR. Verpact is currently assessing what these new insights mean for practical implementation.

For these specific packaging streams, companies are advised to continue following the existing procedures for the time being. CPF is also monitoring these developments closely.

𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭: the standstill does not mean that the PPWR has been postponed.

Moreover, 12 August is not the final deadline. Many PPWR requirements will be introduced gradually over the coming years. Tomorrow primarily marks the start of a new phase in which companies must gain a clearer understanding of their role, the packaging they use and the responsibilities that come with it.

The PPWR sets the direction. The value chain must make the change happen.