EXPORTERS will have 18 months to comply with the European Union’s (EU) new packaging and came into force on Feb. 11, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

“Philippine exporters to the EU are strongly advised to ensure that their packaging materials are recyclable, reusable, and have the necessary proportion of recycled content in order to comply with the new EU PPWR,” the DTI said in an advisory on Monday.

“Exploring sustainable packaging options and comprehending compliance expectations may be substantially aided by careful coordination and collaboration with EU importers. Maintaining records to demonstrate compliance is recommended,” it added.

The DTI said that the new regulation will replace Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste and aligns with the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan.

“The PPWR will be applicable from Aug. 12, 2026, allowing stakeholders an 18-month transition period to adhere to the new regulations. The full implementation will be rolled out over the next 15 years,” the DTI said.

The new regulation harmonizes the packaging laws of EU member states to mitigate the adverse effects of packaging on human health and the environment.

“The primary objective of the regulation is to prevent and reduce packaging waste by promoting more reuse and refill systems. It seeks to make all packaging on the EU market recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030,” the DTI said.

“Additionally, the regulation aims to safely increase the use of recycled plastics in packaging, phase out hazardous and harmful substances such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), promote re-use, and decrease the use of virgin materials, ultimately putting the sector on track to achieve climate neutrality by 2050,” it added.

After its full application on Aug. 12, 2026, the European Commission is set to establish specific criteria and methods related to packaging on Jan. 1, 2028.

By Jan. 1, 2040, all packaging sold in the EU must be recyclable, with minimum content requirements for plastics. According to the DTI, packaging with recyclability of lower than 70% will be restricted.

On the same date, reusable packaging should only be used for transport packaging between sites of the same business or between different businesses within the same EU country.

For transport packaging for e-commerce, at least 40% should be reusable by 2030, and at least 70% by 2040, while grouped packaging must be at least 10% reusable by 2030 and 25% by 2040.

For alcoholic drinks and drinks excluding milk, wine, and some spirits, packaging should be at least 10% recyclable by 2030 and at least 40% by 2040. Cardboard packaging is excluded from all reuse targets.

By Jan. 1, 2035, packaging must be recyclable at a scale, while by Jan. 1, 2028, packaging may only enter the market if it has recyclability grades of A or B.

By 2040, the EU plans to further increase recycled content requirements for plastic packaging. — Justine Irish D. Tabile