From 1 January 2030 at the earliest (24 months after the delegated acts setting the criteria, if they are delayed), all packaging placed on the EU market must be recyclable, with grade A, B or C under an EU-wide harmonised method. On 1 January 2035, the requirement for recycling at scale is added: packaging must then be collected and recycled in practice. On 1 January 2038, grade C disappears and only grades A and B remain permitted. These requirements come on top of minimum recycled plastic content, which also applies from 2030 at the earliest, and EPR fee modulation according to packaging performance.
Read the source article: PPWR packaging regulation: EU 2025/40 changes in 2026