On October 21, 2026, the Council of the EU reached an agreement on a set of administrative measures to suspend the application of certain rules on extended producer responsibility (EPR) under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
This simplification measure, which triggers fewer bureaucratic and compliance costs for the EU-established packaging producers under EPR regulation, results in the abolition of the obligation to appoint EPR representatives in each Member State where they place packaging or packaged products on the market.
The principal aim of this proposal is to reduce administrative burden for small and medium-sized packaging producers.
EPR Regulation Simplification
The proposal on the EPR regulation amending PPWR is only a part of the so-called Omnibus VIII simplification set of measures.
The approved Council’s proposal introduces a simplification framework under which the producers of packaging and packaging of packaged products established in the EU may be exempted from the obligation to appoint an authorised representative in another Member State if they make available on the market of that Member State a quantity of packaging below 1 tonne per calendar year.
The mandate also includes a review clause reserved for the Commission to review the duration of the suspension by December 31, 2030, to decide whether the suspension should be terminated prior to the official expiry date scheduled through the proposal, which is 2032.
What is Missing
The Council shall enter into dialogue with the European Parliament on this proposal to try to reach an agreement.