EU Council backs easing EPR representative rule for small packaging producers
The Council of the EU adopted on 21 October 2026 its negotiating position to suspend an extended producer responsibility requirement under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation that obliges EU-based producers to appoint a representative in every Member State where they sell packaging or packaged goods. Producers could be exempted from appointing a representative in a given Member State if they place under one tonne of packaging there per year, with a safeguard clause for non-compliance. The Irish Presidency will now begin talks with the European Parliament, as part of the wider omnibus VIII simplification package.
Why this mattersA lighter EPR representative regime would cut compliance costs for small and cross-border packaging producers ahead of the planned Circular Economy Act overhaul.
- Council of the EU adopted its position on 21 October 2026 on suspending part of the PPWR's EPR representative requirement
- Exemption threshold: producers placing under one tonne of packaging per year in a given Member State
- European Commission must review the suspension's duration by 31 December 2030, ahead of its scheduled 2032 expiry
- Measure is part of the omnibus VIII package to simplify EU environmental rules
- Irish Presidency will start negotiations with the European Parliament on the file
- A broader fix for EPR schemes is expected in the forthcoming Circular Economy Act