On March 30, 2026, the European Commission published a draft Commission Notice on a guidance document for the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), Regulation (EU) 2025/40. This guidance aims to provide legal certainty and facilitate a uniform application of the rules for economic operators and Member States. The PPWR, which entered into force on February 11, 2025, will apply from August 12, 2026, fundamentally reshaping the EU's packaging landscape.
1. The EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will apply from 12 August 2026, clarifying responsibilities of manufacturers vs producers, tightening packaging minimisation rules, and harmonising labelling and EPR reporting across Member States.
2. From 12 August 2026, strict PFAS limits will apply to food-contact packaging with no sell-through period, and all packaging must be recyclable, with detailed Design-for-Recycling grades phased in from 2030.
3. The guidance explains exemptions from recycled content targets, non-retroactive rules for reusable packaging, and how PPWR interacts with the Single-Use Plastics Directive, including the 5% plastic threshold for composite packaging.
