European Commission Issues Guidance for PPWR

BAAR, Switzerland - May 15, 2026 - PRLog -- SGS, the world's leading testing, inspection and certification company, has published SafeGuardS 060.26, highlighting the European Commission's issuance of two interconnected documents which support the implementation of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

Following the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2025/40, which replaced the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), the two documents supporting the implementation of the PPWR will apply from August 12, 2026.

The following documents provide PPWR guidance for economic operators:
- Annex to the Communication to the Commission 'Approval of the draft Commission Notice on the Guidance document for Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste' (document C(2026) 2151 final, 'the Commission guidance document'
- Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) 'Frequently Asked Questions', Edition 1 (the FAQ)

The first of these documents provides key interpretations of the scope, obligations, timelines and compliance requirements under the PPWR. This includes definitions of packaging, clarification of the roles of economic operators, guidance on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) testing and compliance in food contact packaging, recycling requirements, labeling harmonization and information on certain bans and restrictions.

The second, the FAQ document, provides an overview of key PPWR provisions and addresses practical questions raised since the regulation's adoption.

Stakeholders across the packaging and food packaging supply chain, including manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers and other intermediaries operating in the EU market, will be impacted by these documents.

SGS experts publish SafeGuardS to keep stakeholders informed about regulatory changes that could impact their business. SafeGuardS 060.26 provides additional details on the scope, definitions and compliance requirements outlined in both the Commission guidance document and the FAQ, along with direct links to the official European Commission sources.

Stakeholders are encouraged to refer to the original SafeGuardS 060.26 for more details.

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SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full European Commission Issues Guidance for PPWR (https://www.sgs.com/en/news/2026/05/safeguards-06026-euro...) SafeGuardS.

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For further information, contact Media Inquiries (https://try.sgs.com/en/cp/media-inquiries/) or:

Dr. HingWo Tsang
Global Information and Innovation Manager
Tel: +852 2774 7420

Birkoff Chen
Packaging and Sustainability Product Manager, Global Hardlines
Tel: +86 (757) 2280 5851

Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines
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