EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation: a first set of unified rules takes effect

The first set of obligations from the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which aims to "protect the environment and to reduce Europe's dependence on fossil-based materials, especially oil-derived plastics", came into effect on 12 August 2026, said EU Senior officials on 11 August.

According to the European Commission, "without action, packaging waste in the EU was projected to grow by 19% by 2030, while plastic packaging waste could rise by as much as 46%".

This single regulation is replacing a previous directive, which needed to be transposed into national laws in 27 Member States. To make the transition "as smooth as possible", a first set of rules is now applying, with "a significant number of other requirements" to follow "in the future, mostly as of 2030.

The first…