The European Commission has published new guidance to help businesses and EU countries apply the bloc’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation more consistently.
Each person in Europe generated an average of 178 kg of packaging waste in 2023, according to the Commission's statement released on Monday.
Without policy changes, total packaging waste could rise by 19% by 2030 compared with 2018 levels, while plastic waste could increase by up to 46%.
The Commission said the guidance is intended to support a uniform approach across the EU and make compliance easier where national rules have differed between member states.
It clarifies where the regulation needs further interpretation, including when a company counts as a manufacturer or a producer, and which items are treated as “packaging” under the new rules.
The document also sets out how restrictions on single-use packaging should be applied and how re-use targets should work in practice.
It also covers enforcement of limits on PFAS — a group of long-lasting chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — in food-contact packaging.
FAQs and further work
Alongside the guidance, the Commission published a frequently asked questions document covering practical issues raised since the regulation was adopted last year, and said it would update the FAQs as needed.
The Commission stated further the guidance and FAQs are intended to clarify the rules but do not replace, add to, or amend the regulation itself.
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation entered into force on 11 February 2025.
The law includes measures such as mandatory recyclability by 2030, minimum recycled content requirements for plastic packaging, and steps to reduce excessive packaging.
