PPWR Countdown: Prepare your packaging compliance for August 2026
Only around three months remain until the application of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation: from 12 August 2026, key obligations under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will apply directly in all EU Member States.
Companies should now check whether
responsibilities have been clarified,
packaging labelling is in place,
registrations exist, and
technical documentation and declarations of conformity are complete.
The Central Authority for the Packaging Register also makes clear that responsibilities will change, in particular for private‑label products and imports. Trading companies that market own‑brand products or imports in the EU without a domestic intermediary must in future register and deregister this packaging themselves. According to LUCID, there is no transitional period: without timely adjustments, a sales ban for affected packaged products may take effect from 12 August 2026.
At the same time, the regulatory landscape remains dynamic. In several Member States, national adaptations of packaging legislation to the PPWR are already underway. Currently, draft laws or notified proposals are publicly visible in particular in Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and Italy, as well as in Danish EPR rules and follow‑on adjustments. As the PPWR applies directly, national implementing acts mainly affect competencies, sanctions, registers, EPR and deposit schemes, and the scope for national implementation.
In addition, it is worth looking at adjacent compliance issues. The stiftung ear highlights, in its INFObrief 2/2026, the ongoing discussions on the European “Omnibus” procedure. Possible simplifications may relieve some obligations; from an enforcement perspective, however, the stiftung ear regards, in particular, a weakening of authorised‑representative rules critically.
For companies, this means the need for action is now concrete. Packaging portfolios must be recorded, roles in the supply chain clarified, supplier data collected and internal evidence documented. Especially for private‑label products, imports, cross‑border distribution and complex packaging assortments, companies should not wait until shortly before the deadline.
Bitkom Compliance Solutions supports you in preparing for the new requirements – from compact introductory seminars through to in‑depth workshops and in‑house training. On request, we can also provide tailored formats, such as a PPWR workshop for companies that wish to systematically clarify their specific obligations and next implementation steps.
Alternatively, our consulting team is also available to you on an hourly basis for individual questions.
Do you wish to receive a written, monthly update on current changes to the PPWR in individual European countries? Please contact us at compliance@bitkom-consult.de to request a proposal.
