PPWR Guidance Document (Commission Notice)

Commission Notice C(2026) 3702, adopted on 2026-06-05 and published in the Official Journal C series on 2026-06-10 (C/2026/3084), provides interpretative guidance on Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR); a draft was released on 2026-03-30. It covers the definitions of packaging, manufacturer, producer, importer and 'branch', PFAS restrictions in food contact packaging and exhaustion of stocks, the date of application of recyclability requirements, exemptions from recycled content targets, packaging minimisation, the scope of harmonised labelling, the relationship with the Single-Use Plastics Directive, beverage re-use targets in the HORECA sector and deposit and return systems. The guidance does not replace or amend the PPWR; binding interpretation rests with the Court of Justice. The Commission also publishes a PPWR FAQ (updated August 2026) and an SME guide, 'Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and small businesses'.