PPWRDeadlines

EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) Deadlines and Compliance Calendar

Turn PPWR dates into owned milestones and release gates.

Use this calendar to sequence portfolio scope, packaging redesign, labelling rollout, and reuse/refill program delivery.

Author
Sorena AI
Published
Feb 21, 2026
Updated
Feb 21, 2026
Sections
4

Structured answer sets in this page tree.

Primary sources
3

Cited legal and guidance references.

Publication metadata
Sorena AI
Published Feb 21, 2026
Updated Feb 21, 2026
Overview

PPWR has hard legal dates and dates that depend on secondary acts. Use this calendar to separate what you can build now from what you need to track and integrate later, then attach each milestone to a file, owner, and release gate.

Section 1

Milestone: 11 February 2025 and 12 August 2026

The regulation entered into force on 11 February 2025 and applies from 12 August 2026. That gives teams time to build the operating system before the main obligations bite.

  • 11 February 2025: Regulation (EU) 2025/40 entered into force.
  • 12 August 2026: the regulation applies and Directive 94/62/EC is repealed, subject to Article 70 transitional carve-outs.
  • 12 August 2026: PFAS thresholds for food-contact packaging apply under Article 5.
  • 12 August 2026: Commission implementing acts are due for packaging labels, waste-receptacle labels, and digital marking methodology for material composition.
Recommended next step

Operationalize EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) Deadlines and Compliance Calendar across ESG workflows

ESG Compliance can take EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) Deadlines and Compliance Calendar from planning deadlines, owners, and milestones from this page to a reusable workflow inside Sorena. Teams working on EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) can keep owners, evidence, and next steps aligned without copying this guide into separate documents.

Section 2

Milestone: February and June 2027

This period matters because enforcement architecture, Annex V guidance, take-away refill, and reuse methodology all start to crystallise.

  • 12 February 2027: Member States must lay down and notify penalty rules under Article 68.
  • 12 February 2027: the Commission must publish Annex V guidance and establish the European observatory on reuse.
  • 12 February 2027: the take-away refill obligation begins under Article 32.
  • 30 June 2027: the Commission must adopt the implementing act for Article 29 reuse-target calculation methodology.
Section 3

Milestone: February 2028 to February 2029

This is the visible compliance window for empty-space methodology, take-away reusable offer, and the later label phase-in.

  • 12 February 2028: the Commission must adopt the Article 24 empty-space methodology.
  • 12 February 2028: final distributors in the HORECA take-away sector must offer reusable packaging under Article 33, unless exempt as micro-enterprises.
  • 12 August 2028 or later, depending on implementing-act timing: harmonised composition labels start to apply.
  • 12 February 2029: Article 67(5) starts to apply, and reusable-packaging label timing must be checked against the Article 12 phase-in rules.
Section 4

Milestone: 1 January 2030 and beyond

2030 is the main convergence point for design, format, reuse, and refill obligations. Work backwards from 2030 because packaging redesign and supplier changes take time.

  • 1 January 2030 or later if methodology timing pushes it out: maximum 50% empty space for grouped, transport, and e-commerce packaging under Article 24.
  • 1 January 2030: Annex V format restrictions start under Article 25.
  • 1 January 2030: Article 29 reuse targets start, and Article 28 refill-station endeavour language for larger retailers begins to matter.
  • 1 January 2030: the Commission must also adopt the digital-marking methodology for substances of concern.
  • 12 August 2034: Commission evaluation under Article 69. 1 January 2040: higher endeavour reuse shares apply under Article 29.
Primary sources

References and citations

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