Commission Communication C/2026/3084: guidance on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation

The European Commission published Communication C/2026/3084 in the Official Journal of the European Union on 10 June 2026. The Communication contains the guidance document relating to Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR), the first obligations of which will apply from 12 August 2026.

The document is the translation of the Guidance Document already published by the European Commission and was prepared to address the numerous questions submitted by Member States, competent authorities and economic operators. Its objective is to provide interpretative guidance on specific provisions of the PPWR, supporting a uniform application of the legislation throughout the European Union.

The Commission clarifies that the document does not replace or amend the regulation but must be read together with the legislative text and the relevant legislation, in compliance with the interpretative principles established by the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union.

The document is organised into thematic sections and addresses the main practical aspects of the regulation.

Among the aspects of greatest interest to companies, which are useful for understanding how to manage the implementation of the regulation, are the following:

• clarifications on the definitions of “packaging”, “manufacturer”, “producer”, “importer” and “distributor”;
• the criteria for qualifying an item as packaging, based on its function and intended use, and not exclusively on the examples provided in the annexes to the regulation;
• the application of restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in packaging intended to come into contact with food;
• the requirements relating to packaging recyclability, distinguishing between the general obligation to place recyclable packaging on the market and the future, more detailed requirements on design for recycling and recycling at scale, which are subject to the adoption of delegated and implementing acts;
• the exemptions from recycled content obligations and the rules on compostable packaging, with clarifications on the role of Member States in defining eligible applications according to the available collection and treatment systems;
• the criteria for packaging minimization and the relationship between minimization requirements and other parameters set out in the regulation, such as the empty space ratio;
• the provisions on labelling, with indications on the future harmonised European system, the gradual phasing out of national systems and the timing for the introduction of the new requirements;
• further aspects concerning reuse targets, deposit and return systems, and coordination with other European legislation, including the Single-Use Plastics Directive.

The Commission also notes that the document may be updated over time based on the experience gained in applying the regulation and on stakeholder contributions.

For companies supplying packaging, whether such or containing products, articles or chemicals, the guidance provided in the document represents a useful tool for understanding how the PPWR Regulation applies and for preparing for future obligations.a