{"id":6224,"date":"2026-08-11T08:51:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T06:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/een.si\/the-new-packaging-and-packaging-waste-regulation-ppwr-enters-into-force-on-12-8-2026-first-key-obligations-for-businesses\/"},"modified":"2026-08-11T08:52:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T06:52:30","slug":"the-new-packaging-and-packaging-waste-regulation-ppwr-enters-into-force-on-12-8-2026-first-key-obligations-for-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/the-new-packaging-and-packaging-waste-regulation-ppwr-enters-into-force-on-12-8-2026-first-key-obligations-for-businesses\/","title":{"rendered":"The new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) enters into force on 12.8.2026: First key obligations for businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"6224\" class=\"elementor elementor-6224 elementor-6216\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eca1fad e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"eca1fad\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-668a0c2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"668a0c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The PPWR (<a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/SL\/legal-content\/summary\/packaging-and-packaging-waste-from-2026.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation<\/a>) is a new European regulation on packaging and packaging waste that comprehensively regulates the life cycle of packaging in the EU. Its main objective is to reduce waste, avoid the use of redundant packaging and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. <a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/SL\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX:32025R0040\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Regulation (EU) 2025\/40 on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR)<\/a> becomes applicable from 12 August 2026.    <strong>If you place packaged products on the EU market, you will need to comply with the new PPWR requirements from 12 August 2026. <\/strong><\/p><p>Key innovations include:<\/p><ul><li>Meeting new packaging sustainability requirements<\/li><li>preparation and management of technical documentation,<\/li><li>issuing and signing the EU Declaration of Conformity;<\/li><li>demonstrating the compliance of the packaging with the requirements of the regulation.<\/li><\/ul><p>Companies will need to review their packaging solutions in a timely manner, adapt processes and provide appropriate documentation, as compliance with PPWR will be crucial for smooth operations in the European market.<br> <\/p><h2>Does PPWR also affect your company?<\/h2><p>\u2713 You sell products under your own brand.<\/p><p>\u2713 You import packaged products from outside the EU.<\/p><p>\u2713 You supply packaging to other companies.<\/p><p>\u2713 You pack the products for your customers.<\/p><p>\u2713 You sell products to the EU market.<\/p><p><br>If you answered YES to at least one question, PPWR most likely applies to your business as well.<br> <\/p><h2>Does PPWR also apply to small businesses?<\/h2><p>Yes. The regulation applies regardless of the size of the company. Obligations depend on your role in the supply chain and the type of packaging, not on the number of employees or the size of the company.  <\/p><p><br><strong>What do you need to do now?<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>Determine your role under the PPWR (Manufacturer, Importer, Distributor, Packaging Supplier or Manufacturer).<\/li><li>Check if your packaging meets the new requirements.<\/li><li>Get missing documentation from suppliers.<\/li><li>If you are a manufacturer, prepare the technical documentation and the EU Declaration of Conformity.<\/li><li>Check if changes to packaging or business processes are required.<\/li><\/ul><p> <\/p><h2>Your role sets out your responsibilities<\/h2><p>The PPWR introduces a precise division of roles that determines which entity is legally responsible for packaging compliance. Identifying your role is the first step to risk management. <\/p><p> <\/p><table width=\"642\"><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>MANUFACTURER<\/strong><\/p><p>(<em>eng. Manufacturer<strong>)<\/strong> <\/em><\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>IMPORTER<\/strong><\/p><p>(<em>eng. Importer) <\/em><\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>DISTRIBUTOR<\/strong><\/p><p>(<em>eng. Distributor) <\/em><\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>PACKAGING SUPPLIER<\/strong><\/p><p>(<em>eng. Supplier of packaging) <\/em><\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>MANUFACTURER<\/strong><\/p><p>(<em>eng. Producer) <\/em><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>A natural or legal person who manufactures packaging or packaged product, or has it designed and\/or manufactured <strong>under his own name or trademark<\/strong>.<\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p>&gt;&gt; <strong>Legally responsible for the compliance of packaging<\/strong> (preparation of technical documentation and signing of the Declaration of Conformity &#8211; DoC) with the sustainability requirements of PPWR.<\/p><\/td><td><p>A natural or legal person established in the EU who places packaging from a third country on the market.<\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p>&gt;&gt;  Its main task is to <strong>verify<\/strong> that the foreign manufacturer has carried out<strong> a conformity assessment and <\/strong>prepared<strong> the relevant technical documentation<\/strong> before the packaging enters the EU.<\/p><\/td><td><p>A natural or legal person in the supply chain, other than the manufacturer or importer, who makes the packaging available on the market.<\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p>&gt;&gt;  Before selling, <strong>he must check the labelling<\/strong> (for now the contact details of the manufacturer\/importer) <strong>and whether the manufacturer is registered in the manufacturer&#8217;s register<\/strong>.<\/p><\/td><td><p>A natural or legal person who supplies packaging or packaging materials.<\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p> <\/p><p>&gt;&gt;  It is legally <strong>obliged to provide the manufacturer with all the information and documentation (listed in Annex VII, including laboratory evidence)<\/strong> that the manufacturer needs to compile the technical folder and demonstrate the conformity of the packaging.  <\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>A manufacturer, importer or distributor<\/strong> who places packaging <strong>or packaged products<\/strong> on the <strong>market for the first time in<\/strong> the territory of an <strong>EU Member State<\/strong>.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>&gt;&gt;This application triggers extended producer responsibility, which requires <strong>an entry in the producers&#8217; register and financial coverage of the costs of packaging waste management<\/strong>.<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><p> <\/p><h2>Distinguish between the MANUFACTURER (physical compliance of the product) and the MANUFACTURER (financial responsibility of the EPR)<\/h2><p><strong>According to PPWR <em>, the manufacturer<\/em> and <em>the manufacturer<\/em> are two different roles.<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><strong>The manufacturer is responsible for the conformity of the packaging (technical documentation and Declaration of Conformity).  <\/strong><\/li><li><strong>However, the producer bears extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations, such as registration and financing of packaging waste management.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><p><strong><em>Example of manufacturers:<\/em><\/strong><\/p><p><em>&#8211; a company that sells products under its own brand, even though it does not physically manufacture the packaging,<\/em><\/p><p><em>&#8211; a company that sells products under its own brand, even if they are physically packaged by an external partner company,<\/em><\/p><p><em>&#8211; a trader who sells products under a trade brand, even though he does not physically produce the packaging,<\/em><\/p><p><em>&#8211; A packaging supplier that sells standardized non-printed packaging.  <\/em><\/p><p> <\/p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>!!! Exemption for micro-enterprises <\/strong>: <strong>if a micro-enterprise contracts the manufacture of packaging under its own brand or name (acting as a producer) and if the packaging supplier is in the same Member State as the micro-enterprise, the manufacturer&#8217;s obligations are automatically transferred to that supplier.<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><p> <\/p><h2>Which packaging is covered?<\/h2><p>The PPWR Regulation comprehensively regulates all packaging on the EU market (empty or filled, B2B and B2C). It includes sales (primary), group (secondary) and transport (tertiary) packaging, regardless of the material used. The requirements apply to all components of the packaging unit (including integrated or separate parts, labels, adhesives, inks and varnishes).  <\/p><p> <\/p><h2>First obligations to enter into force 12. 8. 2026<\/h2><p>From 12 August 2026, companies will have to ensure in particular the following: <\/p><ul><li><strong>Heavy metals<\/strong> (for all packaging): the sum of the concentrations of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium in the substances present in the packaging or its components shall not exceed 100 mg\/kg.<\/li><li><strong>PFAS<\/strong> (Food Contact Packaging Only): It is prohibited to place on the market food contact packaging that exceeds the following PFAS limits: 25 ppb for individual PFAS (plastic PFAS are excluded), 250 ppb for the sum of PFAS (plastic PFAS are excluded) and 50 ppm for total PFAS (including plastic PFAS).<\/li><li><strong>Recyclability<\/strong>: Until the new official design requirements for recycling become applicable (expected in 2030), manufacturers must comply with the transitional harmonised standard EN 13430:2004.<\/li><li><strong>Minimisation of weight and volume<\/strong>: until the end of 2029, compliance shall be provisionally demonstrated according to harmonised standard EN 13428:2004.<\/li><li><strong>Minimisation of Substances of Concern (SoC):<\/strong> the obligation to minimise the presence of SoCs in materials and emissions. Annex C of standard EN 13428:2004 should be used on a transitional basis as a methodological guide for demonstrating this minimisation in the technical documentation. <\/li><li><strong>Technical Documentation (TD)<\/strong> and <strong>Declaration of Conformity (DoC):<\/strong> Before the packaging is placed on the market, the manufacturer must carry out a conformity assessment, prepare an Annex VII Technical Documentation (TD) and sign the EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC) as set out in Annex VIII. Documents must be kept for 5 years for single-use packaging and 10 years for reusable packaging. <\/li><\/ul><p> <\/p><h2>Need help meeting PPWR requirements?<\/h2><p>For expert advice, determining your role under the PPWR, preparing for new obligations and support in ensuring packaging compliance, contact the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sckg.si\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Slovenian Centre for Circular Economy<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) is a new European regulation on packaging and packaging waste that comprehensively regulates the life cycle of packaging in the EU. Its main [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":6225,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6224"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6224\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6228,"href":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6224\/revisions\/6228"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/een.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}