The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
The EU is pursuing ambitious goals in the areas of sustainability, product safety and environmental protection with various new regulations. The PPWR, the EUDR and the GPSR set clear requirements for companies regarding the design of packaging, product safety and the traceability of supply chains. In this blog post, we take a look at the key points of these new regulations and their impact on companies in Europe.
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) was finalized at EU level at the end of 2024. The regulation was published in the Official Journal of the EU on 22.01.2025 and comes into force 20 days after publication. The transition period for national implementation of the PPWR provisions is 18 months. Companies must therefore adapt their processes and products to the new requirements by 12.08.2026.
The PPWR has far-reaching implications for the packaging industry. The primary aim of the PPWR is to reduce packaging waste in the EU. In order to achieve this, the PPWR stipulates the gradual introduction of specific measures and requirements that also affect corrugated board processors:
Design requirements for recyclable packaging: By 2040, all packaging on the EU market must be fully recyclable, based on uniform criteria that exclude materials or combinations that hinder recycling. For corrugated cardboard processors, this has a particular impact on coated packaging and combination packaging with plastic. If these are used, care must be taken to ensure that the packaging can be easily separated into its components and recycled. In addition, more far-reaching regulations apply to plastic with regard to recyclability and use.
“Rightsizing” of packaging: Except in the case of protective packaging, the weight and volume of packaging must be reduced to a technical minimum by 2030. The PPWR also stipulates a maximum airspace of 50% for secondary and transport packaging by 2030. In addition, so-called “deceptive packaging”, i.e. packaging that makes the product appear larger than it actually is, will be banned.
Uniform labeling and transparency: In future, packaging must be provided with uniform labels throughout the EU to indicate recyclability and the correct sorting route. On the one hand, this should make recycling easier and, on the other, help to ensure that packaging waste is disposed of correctly.
Issue of declarations of conformity: Packaging manufacturers will be required to submit comprehensive declarations of compliance in which they confirm that they have fulfilled their obligations under the PPWR.

The European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aims to prevent the import and trade of products associated with deforestation and forest degradation within the European Union. The regulation was originally due to come into force on December 30, 2024. However, the start of its validity was postponed by one year to December 30, 2025 to give companies more time to adapt to the new requirements.
The EUDR requires companies that place certain raw materials and products, including wood and wood-based products, on the EU market to comply with strict due diligence obligations. They must provide detailed information on the origin of the wood used and ensure that it comes from sustainable sources. This requires complete traceability along the entire supply chain.
In the paper sector, virgin fiber products are covered by the EUDR, while recycled products are explicitly excluded from the regulation. If packaging contains a proportion of virgin fibers, compliance with the due diligence obligations must be demonstrated for this part.
Some simplifications apply to SMEs with regard to the fulfillment of due diligence obligations. For example, small and micro-enterprises are still obliged to submit a due diligence declaration with a six-month delay and therefore only from 30.06.2026. In addition, SMEs no longer have to prepare a separate due diligence declaration in cases where a due diligence declaration already exists for the purchased products. Instead, it is sufficient to provide the reference number of the existing due diligence declaration from the upstream value chain.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the EU's information system for submitting due diligence declarations at an early stage. In addition to the live system, the EU has set up a training system in which you can already make trial due diligence declarations. We have also put together some useful links from the EU and the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food that you can use to find out more. We will of course keep you up to date with any relevant updates.
Live system for submitting the due diligence declaration: https://eudr.webcloud.ec.europa.eu/tracesnt/
Training system: https://acceptance.eudr.webcloud.ec.europa.eu/tracesnt/login
EU user guide / training dates for the information system: https://green-business.ec.europa.eu/deforestation-regulation-implementation/deforestation-due-diligence-registry_en?prefLang=de&etrans=de
EU e-mail address for questions: SANTE-TRACES@ec.europa.eu
General information from the EU on the EUDR: https://green-business.ec.europa.eu/deforestation-regulation-implementation_en?etrans=de&etransnolive=1
Information from the BLE (in German): https://www.ble.de/DE/Themen/Wald-Holz/Entwaldungsfreie-Produkte/Lieferketten_node.html
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) came into force on 13.12.2024 after an 18-month transitional period. The aim of the GPSR is to ensure a high level of protection for consumers in the European Union by ensuring that all non-food consumer products offered on the EU market are safe. Consumer products are all products that are either intended for consumers, that could reasonably be expected to be used by consumers or that are made available to consumers as part of a service. Thus
A key element of the GPSR is the inclusion of online marketplaces and fulfillment service providers, who must assume specific obligations, including the provision of product information and safety warnings. At the same time, product safety requirements are being tightened: manufacturers must establish internal processes to minimize risks, check changes to products and report accidents caused by their products. In addition, clear identification information (e.g. type, batch and serial numbers) as well as manufacturer information must be provided on the products.
The GPSR places particular emphasis on traceability in order to identify unsafe products along the entire supply chain and quickly remove them from the market. This is intended to better protect consumers and oblige companies to work closely with market surveillance authorities.
As an EU regulation, the GPSR already applies in Germany, even though the German Product Safety Act (ProdSG) has not yet been amended. In the coming months, the EU is expected to offer more extensive support services for SMEs to implement the GPSR.
There are two relevant cases for packaging manufacturers under the GPSR:
The packaging only reaches the consumer as the packaging of the actual product: the packaging is part of the risk analysis of the packaged product. Packaging manufacturers do not have to fulfill the obligations laid down in the GPSR themselves. However, the customer may request information from packaging manufacturers as part of their risk analysis.
The packaging is sold to consumers as a stand-alone product: In this case, the packaging manufacturer must fulfill all obligations under the GPSR.