The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR) entered into force on 11 February 2025 and will generally apply from 12 August 2026.

The Regulation: 

• covers all packaging and packaging waste, regardless of material or origin;
• sets requirements for manufacturing, composition and reusable or recoverable nature of all packaging placed on the EU market;
• includes packaging waste management and prevention measures.

It aims:

• to prevent unnecessary packaging and promote reuse, refill and recycling;
• to harmonise national measures to avoid trade barriers and competition distortions;
• to contribute to the circular economy and climate neutrality by 2050.

Packaging must be designed so as to minimise the presence of harmful substances and protect human health and the environment. All packaging must be recyclable, meaning that it must be:

• designed for material recycling;
• able to be collected, sorted and recycled at scale when it becomes waste – the requirement for packaging to be recycled at scale enters into force in 2035.

The regulation establishes a system of recyclability performance grades, applicable from 2030, and introduces stricter obligations on recyclability from 2038.