EU Parliament approves the PPWR

On Wednesday, Parliament adopted the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The regulation was approved with 476 votes in favor, 129 against, and 24 abstentions.

The rules, which have been provisionally agreed on with the Council, include packaging reduction targets (5 percent by 2030, 10 percent by 2035, and 15 percent by 2040) and require EU countries to reduce, in particular, the amount of plastic packaging waste.

To reduce unnecessary packaging, a maximum space ratio of 50 percent is set for group, transport, and e-commerce packaging; manufacturers and importers will also have to ensure that the weight and volume of packaging are minimized.

Certain single-use plastic packaging types as well as “forever chemicals” (PFAS) will be banned from 1 January 2030.

The European Council needs to formally approve the agreement as well before it can enter into force, presumable after the summer.