May 12, 2026 Further to our April 2023 message regarding the European Union (EU) World Trade Organization (WTO) notification on the draft Regulation concerning packaging and packaging waste (below), please note that the Regulation has now been adopted and entered into force on February 11, 2025. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR) will generally apply from 12 August 2026.
The PPWR aims to harmonize packaging rules across the EU, ensure the free movement of compliant packaging within the internal market, and reduce environmental and human‑health impacts associated with packaging. The rules apply to the “producer” of the packaging unit, which is loosely defined as the entity (manufacturer, importer, or distributor) which makes a packaging unit available (empty packaging or packaging containing products) in the EU.
As such, Canadian exporters of packaging and packaged products – including food – destined for the EU market will likely be requested by their EU importer(s) to ensure any packaging is in compliance with the Regulation, as EU companies (including importers) cannot place non‑compliant packaging on the market.
Please see attached some key provisions that may affect exporters, but it is strongly recommended that Canadian exporters review the full Regulation.
Canadian companies exporting packaging or packaged goods to the EU should review their product portfolios, supply chains, and documentation systems to ensure compliance ahead of 12 August 2026. We encourage packaged food and beverage exporters to discuss these requirements with their packaging supplier.
For further information, please visit the following links:
Packaging waste – Environment – European Commission
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation Implementation – European Commission
Guidance document on Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) – Environment
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Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Market Access Secretariat
April 23, 2023 – EU – WTO notification on draft regulation concerning packaging and packaging waste
The European Union (EU) has notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of a draft regulation concerning packaging and packaging waste:
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on packaging and packaging waste, amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and Directive (EU) 2019/904 and repealing Directive 94/62/EC (COM(2022)).
The proposal would revise and update the EU’s existing packaging rules with the intention to reduce negative impacts of packaging and bring greater harmonization to packaging rules on the EU market. To that end, it would set an overall headline target of reducing packaging waste in each Member State, along with targets for reuse, criteria for recyclability, minimum content requirements for recycled content in plastic packaging, labelling requirements, measures to minimize packaging, bans on certain types of packaging, etc.
You are invited to review the WTO notification to determine whether your industry could be impacted by these changes. Please refer to the following links for more information: G/TBT/N/EU/953.
To ensure we understand the impact this regulation may have on Canadian exports to the EU, we are asking you to please provide any comments (on a commercial confidential basis) on the implementation of this new regulation and how it could impact your business practices and/or decisions. You are invited to send comments and/or concerns by Friday, May 5, 2023 to the Market Access Secretariat at aafc.mas-sam.aac@agr.gc.ca.
