Packaging and packaging waste consultation: EU national registers of producers
- Packaging
Summary
New European Union (EU) rules on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR, Regulation 2025/40) require each EU Member State to establish a national register of packaging producers to monitor compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements. EPR aims to ensure that producers of products are financially and/or organisationally responsible for managing the waste stage of a product’s life cycle.
The European Commission is now proposing rules on how Member States should establish these registers of packaging producers in their country.
Each individual Member State may also choose to include in their register non-EU producers of packaged products (including food), who will need to appoint an authorised representative for EPR to carry out these obligations on their behalf.
This proposal sets standardised formats for registration of packaging producers and for reporting, and specifies the information that must be submitted. This will ensure consistency across all EU countries.
Opportunity to comment on proposed rules on registers of packaging producers in EU countries for Extended Producer Responsibility
Draft Commission Implementing Regulation laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the format for registration in and reporting to the register of producers and the information to be provided in that context [scroll down to download]
Draft Annex [scroll down to download]
Update
New European Union (EU) rules on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR, Regulation 2025/40) require each EU Member State to establish a national register of packaging producers to monitor compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements. EPR aims to ensure that producers of products are financially and/or organisationally responsible for managing the waste stage of a product’s life cycle.
The European Commission is now proposing rules on how Member States should establish these registers of packaging producers in their country.
Each individual Member State may also choose to include in their register non-EU producers of packaged products (including food), who will need to appoint an authorised representative for EPR to carry out these obligations on their behalf.
This proposal sets standardised formats for registration of packaging producers and for reporting, and specifies the information that must be submitted. This will ensure consistency across all EU countries.
Impacted Products
Packaging, packaged food products
What is changing?
The PPWR (Regulation 2025/40) introduces the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, under which packaging producers are financially responsible for managing the waste stage of the packaging’s life cycle, for example by organising or paying for the collection and disposal of waste.
National register of producers
Each EU Member State is required to establish a national register to monitor packaging producers’ compliance with EPR requirements (PPWR, Art. 44(1)).
The European Commission is proposing to set standardised formats for registration and reporting in these registers, and for the data included.
Annex I of the draft proposal includes the formats for:
- registering a producer (Part A)
- declaring how the producer meets its EPR obligations (Part B)
- providing a certificate to be issued by the producer responsibility organisation (Part C)
- registering an authorised representative (Part D).
Annex II of the draft proposal lists the information to be submitted for reporting, depending on the volume and type of packaging entering the territory of the Member State each calendar year.
In the case of composite packaging and other multi-material packaging, information on the weight of each material contained in the packaging should be reported.
For packaging already accompanied by a digital product passport, that passport can be used to provide the necessary information to the register of producers.
The proposed formats accommodate those EU countries that have separate packaging waste management systems (e.g. for household, commercial, and industrial waste).
Reporting obligations in the Single Use Plastics Directive
In addition, the proposal integrates in the new register EPR reporting obligations set by the Single Use Plastics Directive 2019/904 (Art. 8). Producers of the following single-use plastic packaging must pay EPR fees (Directive 2019/904, Annex, Part E, Section I):
- food containers (e.g. boxes, with or without a cover), packets and wrappers containing food intended for immediate consumption without any further preparation
- beverage containers/bottles up to 3 litres, including caps and lids (but not glass or metal beverage containers with plastic caps and lids)
- cups for beverages, including covers and lids
- lightweight plastic carrier bags.
See Single-use plastics explained.
The proposed reporting formats allow for additional reporting, for example where individual EU Member States set additional national recycling targets.
Why?
By setting standardised formats for registration and reporting, the European Commission aims to reduce the administrative burden and avoid divergent national registration systems.
The PPWR sets new rules for packaging and packaged products put on the EU market, including the management of packaging waste. It has introduced the EPR scheme for packaging to make all packaging reusable or recyclable by 2030, and to reduce (over) packaging and packaging waste.
See New EU packaging rules explained.
Timeline
The Regulation is expected to be published in the fourth quarter of 2026, and will enter into force 20 days after publication. From that date, EU Member States will have 18 months to establish a national register of producers.
What are the major implications for exporting countries?
EPR requirements may also apply to non-EU producers exporting packaging or packaged products to the EU.
EU countries can individually request non-EU producers of packaged products (including foods) to appoint an authorised representative for EPR, who will carry out the obligations related to the management of packaging and of packaging waste in that country on behalf of the non-EU producer (Art. 45). This is not a general obligation, but can be requested by an EU Member State when the non-EU producer makes packaging or packaged products available on their territory for the first time (even if is already on the market in other EU Member States).
Recommended Actions
All interested stakeholders are invited to give feedback via the European Commission’s Have Your Say platform until 10 September 2026.
Stakeholders wishing to respond must be registered. Those who do not already have an account will first need to Create an EU login account, then register their organisation on the EU Transparency register.
Background
Packaging is one of the main users of virgin materials and is a significant contributor to waste. While the share of recycled packaging has been growing slowly in the EU between 2014 and 2023 (European Commission 2025), much recyclable packaging is still not recycled. This is because there are not enough suitable, economically viable collection and recycling processes.
The PPWR is part of the EU’s circular economy action plan (European Commission 2020) which commits to making all packaging reusable or recyclable by 2030, and to reducing (over) packaging and packaging waste.
Resources
AGRINFO webinar resources: New EU rules on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR)
European Commission (2020) A new Circular Economy Action Plan - For a cleaner and more competitive Europe
European Commission (2025) Packaging waste statistics
Directive (EU) 2019/904 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment (Single Use Plastics Directive)
Directive 2008/98/EC on waste
Sources
Draft Commission Implementing Regulation laying down rules as regards the format for registration in and reporting to the register of producers and the information to be provided in that context [scroll down to download]
Draft Annex [scroll down to download]
Disclaimer: Under no circumstances shall COLEAD be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered that is claimed to have resulted from the use of information available on this website or any link to external sites. The use of the website is at the user’s sole risk and responsibility. This information platform was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents do not, however, reflect the views of the European Union.
Opportunity to comment on proposed rules on registers of packaging producers in EU countries for Extended Producer Responsibility
Draft Commission Implementing Regulation laying down rules as regards the format for registration in and reporting to the register of producers and the information to be provided in that context [scroll down to download]
Draft Annex [scroll down to download]
What is changing and why?
New European Union (EU) rules on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR, Regulation 2025/40) require each EU Member State to establish a national register of packaging producers. The registers will monitor producers’ compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations, under which producers are financially responsible for managing their packaging waste. Registers potentially may include non-EU producers of packaged food products, at the discretion of the individual Member State.
The draft proposal includes standardised registration and reporting formats to make EPR requirements more consistent and reduce the administrative burden. Information about packaging producers, how they meet their EPR obligations, and, where relevant, their authorised representative or producer responsibility organisation will have to be registered.
Producers will also have to report the type and quantity of packaging they place on the market each year. For composite or multi-material packaging, the weight of each material must be reported. Where packaging has a digital product passport, this information can be used for reporting.
The proposed formats also incorporate EPR reporting requirements for certain single-use plastic products, such as food containers, wrappers, beverage containers, cups, and lightweight plastic carrier bags.
Actions
All interested stakeholders are invited to give feedback via the European Commission’s Have Your Say platform until 10 September 2026.
Stakeholders wishing to respond must be registered. Those who do not already have an account will first need to Create an EU login account, then register their organisation on the EU Transparency register.
Timeline
The Regulation is expected to be published in the fourth quarter of 2026, and will enter into force 20 days after publication. From that date, EU Member States will have 18 months to establish a national register of producers.
Disclaimer: Under no circumstances shall COLEAD be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered that is claimed to have resulted from the use of information available on this website or any link to external sites. The use of the website is at the user’s sole risk and responsibility. This information platform was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents do not, however, reflect the views of the European Union.