Regulation (EU) 2025/40 was published on 22 January 2025, entered into force on 11 February 2025 and applies from 12 August 2026 (Article 71), the date on which it repealed Directive 94/62/EC. It requires all packaging placed on the EU market to be recyclable by 2030, sets minimum recycled content for plastic packaging from 2030, and bans from 1 January 2030 (Annex V) single-use plastic for fresh produce under 1.5 kg, for food and drink consumed on site in hotels, restaurants and cafes, for hotel miniatures, for condiment sachets and for grouping packaging such as shrink-wrapped multipacks.
Reuse targets require 40 percent of transport packaging to be reusable by 2030 rising to 70 percent by 2040, and 10 percent of beverage packaging by 2030 rising to 40 percent by 2040. Packaging waste per capita must fall 5 percent by 2030, 10 percent by 2035 and 15 percent by 2040 against 2018. Harmonised labelling applies from 12 February 2027.
Status as at September 2026: applying since 12 August 2026; the Commission published guidelines on 30 March 2026 and an FAQ on 3 August 2026, two sets of detailed follow-up rules from the Commission are late. A December 2025 Commission proposal to pause until 2035 the rule that EU companies selling packaging directly to customers in another member state must appoint a local representative there (an authorised representative) has not been adopted. Dates verified against Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (EUR-Lex) and the European Commission's packaging waste page on 23 September 2026.