The new EU packaging regulation, the PPWR, is coming into force
Conlegno keeps abreast of regulatory developments and offers advice and services to help businesses comply
(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - From 12 August 2026, with different deadlines depending on the obligations, the new European regulation on packaging and packaging waste, also known as the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation), will come into force. EU Regulation 2025/40 replaces the previous European legislation based on Directive 94/62/EC, which set out essential requirements regarding the composition, reusability, recoverability and recyclability of packaging, as well as recovery and recycling targets. The new legislation applies across all Member States, introducing a uniform framework aimed at reducing the environmental impact of packaging and packaging waste, promoting the circular economy and harmonising the rules applicable to economic operators. As specified by Conlegno, it applies to all packaging placed on the European Union market, regardless of the material used and the sector of use, and therefore also covers wooden packaging and pallets (both new and used) and, more generally, packaging intended for the protection, handling, transport, distribution and marketing of goods.
Paying attention to the entire life cycle of packaging
The new regulation covers the entire life cycle of packaging and therefore contains sustainability requirements relating to design, composition, recyclability, minimisation and reusability. For example, there is a strong focus on the materials used in packaging, with requirements to minimise the presence of substances of concern throughout the entire life cycle, such as heavy metals or PFAS in packaging intended for food products. Furthermore, the regulation governs recyclability: the PPWR stipulates that all packaging must be designed to be recyclable in accordance with harmonised criteria, which will be defined at European level through subsequent delegated acts; as well as the minimisation of packaging itself and its reuse: the regulation sets out more detailed provisions on reusable packaging, laying down specific requirements for packaging to be classified as such. There are also provisions relating to harmonised labelling, with the aim of making information on packaging, the materials used and their proper management clearer and more uniform across the EU.
From Conlegno: the “LEGNO PPWR Task Force”
All these guidelines apply, of course, to wooden packaging and pallets as well, and Conlegno is monitoring – and will continue to monitor – developments in the European and national regulatory framework, providing its members with updates and support tools to assist them in applying the regulation. In particular, attention is being paid to the fact that, alongside the sustainability requirements, the PPWR introduces further obligations relating to the preparation of technical documentation and the declaration of conformity. These tools will be essential for demonstrating compliance with the applicable requirements and for documenting the conformity of packaging placed on the market. Conlegno places particular emphasis on Article 15 ‘Manufacturers’ Obligations’, which also sets out requirements for the traceability and identification of packaging and the manufacturer, as well as the additional obligations incumbent upon the various economic operators, depending on their role in the supply chain: manufacturer, importer, distributor or producer. To support businesses through this phase of change in European legislation, Conlegno has set up the “LEGNO PPWR Task Force”: a team of specialists to analyse the production of wooden packaging and pallets and guide businesses towards full compliance.
Services offered to timber businesses
The Task Force offers the following services: regulatory monitoring (ongoing updates on delegated acts and European Commission guidelines); technical support (assessment of the applicability of the PPWR to your company, analysis of the impact of recyclability and recycled content requirements on your products, as well as compliance with Article 5 – Requirements for substances contained in packaging); specialist training (webinars and workshops to translate complex EU rules into operational practices based on technical and economic feasibility); specialist information (technical circulars and in-depth newsletters providing a comprehensive overview of the PPWR). Furthermore, Conlegno is also developing other services such as: an operational traceability and PPWR compliance system (an online software tool that will support companies in the timber sector in adapting to the EU Regulation) and Article 5 Certification, namely the establishment of a management system designed to ensure compliance with Article 5 regarding the production of wooden packaging, monitored and identified by certificates of conformity which will be granted for use to interested companies that successfully complete the voluntary certification process. Furthermore, specific marks bearing the guarantees of Conlegno and its inspection bodies, along with traceability and archiving services (the management of the IT system for traceability and the storage of documentation supporting the declaration of conformity), will also soon be available. Several hundred replies have been sent to companies via the email address legnoppwr@conlegno.eu, which, within a few weeks, has become the go-to point of contact that a large number of firms have turned to for clarification.
