The Federal Government is campaigning for changes to the EU Packaging Regulation PPWR. Small retailers are to be exempted from the requirement to appoint an authorised representative in other EU countries, and the registration requirement is to be suspended temporarily.
The Federal Environment Ministry presented a corresponding proposal for amendment at a preparatory meeting for the environment omnibus in Brussels on 7 September 2026. This is in response to criticism of the PPWR requirements for companies shipping goods cross-border within the EU.
Exemption for under ten tonnes of packaging
Under the current regulations, traders must appoint an authorised representative in every EU Member State to which they dispatch goods. This may incur additional fees in each case. This can become a significant burden, particularly for smaller traders with only a few foreign shipments.
The Federal Government therefore proposes to exempt retailers from this obligation if they place less than ten tonnes of packaging on the market per year. This is intended in particular to facilitate cross-border shipping for small businesses.
Registration is to be suspended until mid-2028
Furthermore, according to the proposal, registration in the new system is to be suspended until mid-2028. By then, a central European registration system for manufacturers is to be operational.
Both changes require an amendment to the PPWR at European level. According to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, national regulations are not sufficient. The Federal Government therefore wants to work towards gaining a majority among the EU member states for the proposed changes.
In principle, the Federal Government supports the objectives of the PPWR. The regulation creates a common European framework for packaging and is intended, among other things, to strengthen reuse and recycling. However, in the view of the Federal Government, implementation should not create any additional bureaucratic hurdles for businesses.
Source: Federal Ministry for the Environment
