From 12 August 2026, the following new European Union (EU) rules on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR Regulation 2025/40) apply to packaged food products:
- Manufacturers of packaged food products exported to the EU must carry out a packaging conformity assessment, and the packaged product must be accompanied by a declaration of conformity (PPWR, Annex VIII) and supported by the relevant technical documentation (PPWR, Annex VII).
- Substances of concern in food packaging must be minimised, including per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). See the AGRINFO Guidance on PFAS limits.
The European Commission has published a Guidance document and recently updated its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (changes since the first version are marked 'NEW' or 'UPDATED').
The updated FAQs aim to clarify:
- the difference between sales, grouped, and transport packaging (chapter II)
- who is considered the manufacturer and who is the producer of transport packaging (chapter II)
- the obligations of packaging manufacturers (chapter X)
- how the new rules will be enforced by EU Member States from 12 August 2026 onwards (chapter XVI).
AGRINFO offers practical resources to help agri-food operators understand the new rules, including:
- webinar resources including video recording, presentation slides, and questions and answers arising from the webinars
- a regularly updated report: New EU packaging rules explained.
Other PPWR requirements do not apply immediately and will be introduced progressively over time.
If you need further information or have specific questions regarding the application of these rules, please do not hesitate to contact us
This activity is supported by the AGRINFO programme, implemented by COLEAD and funded by the European Union (EU). This publication receives financial support from the European Union. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.