The packaging industry now has a date for when a European sustainable packaging regulation poised to reshape recyclability, reuse and more will be applied: Aug. 12, 2026.
The new regulation on packaging and packaging waste was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Wednesday. Its official publication had been anticipated since late December, when the European Council formally adopted it, marking the final legislative step in a years-long process. The regulation technically enters into force 20 days after it’s published and will be applied 18 months later, European packaging trade group Europen noted.
The regulation spells out key dates and deadlines through 2040. Some of the relevant milestones this year for EU member states include:
- By July 12, 2025:
- EU member states must notify the European Commission of the names and addresses of the authorities they designate to implement and enforce obligations related to reuse targets.
- By Dec. 31, 2025:
- EU member states are to achieve a 65% recycling rate by weight of all packaging waste generated, with the following material-specific targets: 25% for wood; 50% for aluminum or plastic; 70% for ferrous metals or glass; and 75% for paper and cardboard.
- EU member states must submit information to the European Commission and European Chemicals Agency about any substances that negatively affect the reuse and recycling of materials in packaging.
- EU member states have the option to request using a base year other than the default year, 2018, for targets around reducing packaging waste generated per capita.
Europen Secretary General Francesca Stevens emphasized the importance of implementation in an emailed statement in December, following the European Council’s adoption of the regulation.
“With the legislative framework completed, the focus must now shift to implementation — a critical phase that will determine the regulation’s success. The upcoming secondary legislation must be precise in the way it defines obligations and consistency across related regulations,” Stevens said. “The packaging industry will play a vital role in this process.”
