PPWR: key obligations for producers, importers, distributors and manufacturers

18 September 2026

The European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is expected to significantly reshape how companies manage packaging throughout its life cycle. From sustainability requirements and conformity assessments to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the new rules are relevant to a wide range of businesses and are likely to affect virtually any company that uses, manufactures, imports, distributes or places packaging on the market.

In this factsheet, we discuss the key obligations under the PPWR for manufacturers, importers, distributors and producers. In addition, we provide practical flowcharts to help assess how entities within your organisation may be classified under the PPWR and which obligations apply to each. This offers a first step in understanding the impact of the new legislation on your organisation and determining how different entities within your organisation are classified under the PPWR.

Where possible, companies may benefit from centralising their compliance efforts within a single entity. If you would like to discuss the impact of the PPWR on your business or require support with implementation, please do not hesitate to contact Houthoff’s Environmental & Planning team

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