The EU is preparing stricter rules for packaging before the application in 2026

The European Commission has published guidelines for the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste, at a time when EU institutions and economic operators are preparing for the general application of the new rules from August 12, 2026. The Commission states that the document aims to facilitate the uniform application of the rules across the Union and to simplify compliance for member states and economic actors.

In short

1. The regulation on packaging and packaging waste came into force on February 11, 2025, and generally applies from August 12, 2026.

2. The Commission has published both guidelines and a frequently asked questions document to address practical issues raised by states and industry.

3. In 2023, each European generated an average of 178 kg of packaging waste, and the Commission warns that, without intervention, the total could increase by 19% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels, while plastic waste could increase by up to 46%.

4. The new clarifications cover, among other things, the definition of packaging, restrictions on single-use packaging, PFAS in food contact packaging, reuse targets, extended producer responsibility, and deposit-return systems.

5. The Commission indicates that several delegated acts and implementing acts are still in preparation, including for sorting labeling, recycled content, and recyclability criteria.

The European Commission has entered a new phase of implementing the European packaging reform by publishing a guidance document and a set of frequently asked questions regarding Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste. In the communication sent to the Commission, the European executive indicates that the new regulation has generated numerous questions due to its novelty and complexity, and the guide addresses points where there is a clear margin for legal interpretation. For other questions, the Directorate-General for Environment intends to regularly update the FAQ document.

According to the Commission, the regulation harmonizes the regulatory framework on packaging and packaging waste at the EU level, with the aim of supporting the proper functioning of the internal market and reducing the environmental and health impacts associated with packaging. The FAQ document specifies that the rules apply to all packaging placed on the EU market, whether empty or full, regardless of material and whether produced in the Union or imported from third countries.

Materials published by the Commission clarify several sensitive points of application. In the Romanian version of the Commission's news, clarifications are mentioned, as examples, regarding the situations in which a company is considered a producer, which items are considered packaging in the sense of the regulation, how restrictions on single-use packaging apply, how the restriction on PFAS in food contact packaging applies, as well as how reuse targets should be interpreted. The same material also indicates guidelines regarding extended producer responsibility and the obligation to establish deposit-return systems.

The FAQ document shows that the regulation introduces a stricter and more uniform framework for economic operators and member states. Among its main provisions are waste prevention targets of 5% by 2030, 10% by 2035, and 15% by 2040, compared to 2018 levels. The same document mentions the obligation that all packaging must be economically viable recyclable by 2030, reuse targets for certain categories of transport, e-commerce, and beverage packaging, bans on certain single-use formats from January 1, 2030, and the introduction of mandatory deposit-return systems for beverage cans and plastic bottles.

In its chapters, the FAQ document covers a very wide range of themes, from definitions and substances of interest to recyclability, recycled content in plastic packaging, compostability, packaging minimization, labeling, environmental claims, producer obligations, empty space in packaging, bans on certain formats, reuse, plastic bags, extended producer responsibility, separate collection, and deposit-return systems. The structure of the document indicates that the application of the PPWR will practically depend on detailed technical interpretations, not just on the basic text of the regulation.

In practical application, the Commission specifies that from August 12, 2026, the general application of the regulation begins, but some important obligations will apply later, including requirements regarding recyclability, recycled content, certain bans, and reuse targets that come into play by 2030. The FAQ document also indicates that the restriction on PFAS in food contact packaging applies from August 12, 2026, and the requirement that all packaging must be recyclable and the targets for recycled content are linked to delegated and implementing acts that will detail the methodology.

The Commission also emphasizes the economic dimension of the file. In the news published on the website of the Commission's Representation in Romania, it is stated that the packaging industry faces significant administrative burdens generated by divergent national rules among member states, and the uniform application of the new rules should strengthen the single market for packaging through common rules. The same text links the reform to both sustainability and competitiveness.

From a procedural standpoint, the Commission's internal communication shows that member states have been consulted on the interpretation of certain aspects through dedicated meetings of the technical committee for waste and at the level of deputy permanent representatives. The comments received have been taken into account and included in the final draft. Before approval, the draft also went through inter-service consultations within the Commission, without negative opinions.

The Commission further specifies that the guidance document will be formally adopted only after it is available in all official languages of the Union. Only from that moment will the updated guidelines become applicable. In parallel, the European executive states that it will continue to monitor and facilitate the implementation of the regulation while preparing other delegated and implementing acts regarding harmonized registration and reporting formats for extended producer responsibility, sorting labeling by consumers, recycled content in plastic packaging, and recyclability criteria.

Regulation (EU) 2025/40 replaces the old Directive 94/62/EC and establishes a harmonized framework for all packaging placed on the EU market and for all packaging waste generated in the Union. According to the FAQ document, the central objective is to reduce the environmental and health impact throughout the life cycle of packaging while avoiding fragmentation of the internal market.

The Commission links the reform to the increasing pressure exerted by the volume of packaging waste. Data cited in the news published on March 30, 2026, show that in 2023, each European generated an average of 178 kg of packaging waste and that, without intervention, these volumes could continue to increase until 2030. In this context, the guidelines published now are part of the EU institutions' effort to transform a complex legislative text into a uniformly applicable framework for administration and market.