1. Can you briefly describe your role and Europen’s activities?
My name is Sévrine Pereira Teixeira, and I am Head of Public Affairs at EUROPEN, the European packaging organization. EUROPEN represents the entire packaging value chain and all packaging materials. We currently have 85 members, including raw material producers, packaging manufacturers, and the brands that use them, as well as several national associations. Our organization is based in Brussels and was founded in 1993, more than 30 years ago, coinciding with the creation of the very first European directive on packaging and packaging waste and the birth of the European single market.
2. What is the latest information on the progress of PPWR, the Green Claims Directive, etc. (timeline)?
The new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) entered into force on February 11, 2025, and will officially apply from August 12, 2026. The first compliance deadlines will take effect on that date, while other important milestones are planned for 2030, 2035, and 2040, for which companies must prepare now. It is important to note that the regulation establishes a general framework with various objectives and obligations, but that it still needs to be supplemented by numerous implementing and delegated acts that will specify the details. The European Commission and its relevant services have already begun preparatory work, particularly with regard to obligations relating to packaging labeling, reuse, substances present in packaging, and recyclability.
The PPWR represents a truly pivotal reform for the packaging industry and for all value chains that use packaging. It will shape the future of the sector and could enable the full potential of packaging circularity to be exploited. Other regulations are also worth mentioning, such as the Green Claims Directive, which is still under negotiation. In addition, the New Circular Economy Act, expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, should further harmonize rules on extended producer responsibility and introduce other measures to promote the creation of a single market for secondary raw materials. Finally, by the second quarter of 2027, the European Commission will publish an evaluation report on the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) to inform possible updates or revisions to this text.
3. For our readers, what are the main obligations to remember from PPWR?
The PPWR introduces a wide range of sustainability requirements (substances present in packaging, recyclability, recycled content, minimization, labeling, reuse, etc.), applicable to all packaging (household, industrial, e-commerce, transport, etc.), with the exception of a few categories benefiting from specific exemptions. Compliance with these requirements is a condition of market access: failure to comply will directly prevent packaging from being placed on the market. All sectors and all types of packaging are therefore affected by the obligations and objectives of the new regulation. EUROPEN has published a “PPWR survival guide,” which outlines the main obligations and deadlines set out in the text.
To effectively address these challenges, it will be essential for companies to accurately identify their role within the packaging value chain, as this will determine the obligations that apply to them and the corresponding timeline. EUROPEN has also launched an interactive PPWR guide, designed to help companies better navigate these new requirements. This tool is intended as a practical aid, but should not be considered legal advice or a substitute for official compliance obligations.
