EUVerpackungsrichtlinien

EU Packaging Regulation refers to the body of European Union law governing the production, use, and end-of-life management of packaging and packaging waste. The core framework has long been the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (Directive 94/62/EC), adopted in the 1990s and subsequently amended to tighten targets and broaden obligations. The directive sets essential requirements for packaging design, materials, and packaging waste management, with the aim of reducing environmental impact and conserving resources. It obliges member states to ensure the separate collection, sorting, recycling, and recovery of packaging waste and promotes measures to minimize packaging’s lifecycle footprint.

A key feature of the regime is extended producer responsibility (EPR), under which producers or importers finance and organize packaging collection and recycling. This shifts certain end‑of‑life costs away from municipalities and toward the brands and distributors that place packaging on the market. Compliance is enforced through national authorities, with registration and reporting requirements for packaging producers, market surveillance, and penalties for noncompliance.

In recent years the EU has moved toward greater harmonization and modernization through proposals for a Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) intended to replace the directive. The PPWR seeks to enhance reuse and recyclability, increase data transparency, and create a more consistent single market for packaging waste across member states. The regulation’s evolutions affect manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, and national regulators alike.