The European Commission will stick to the planned application date of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). In a letter to the joint body of German packaging producer responsibility organisations (Gemeinsame Stelle der dualer Systeme Deutschlands) and the members of the Bundestag, EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall made it clear that the new obligations, including the revised manufacturer definition under extended producer responsibility (EPR), will apply as planned from 12 August 2026.
At the same time, Commissioner Roswall said that the Commission had been made aware that transitioning to the new legal framework mid-year would be "challenging". This issue had not been brought up during the legislative process and had only been raised now that the Commission had begun implementing the PPWR and is consulting with stakeholders to ensure a "smooth and timely transition to a more sustainable packaging sector".
"Pragmatic solution" instead of a postponement
Commissioner Roswall ruled out any formal postponement of the application of the Regulation. However, she said that the Commission was willing to find "a pragmatic solution within the legal framework of the PPWR, which can be swiftly deployed". Member states would be given "national leeway to establish corrective mechanisms in 2026 to account for the shift in responsibilities from one obligated producer to another". The aim, she said, was to achieve a coherent approach across all EU countries.
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