NEW 2026 EU PACKAGING LAW THAT COULD BLOCK YOUR PRODUCTS FROM THE MARKET.

A sweeping new regulation is set to reshape how goods are packaged, labeled, and shipped into the European Union. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, formally Regulation (EU) 2025/40, widely known as the PPWR, applies to every company that places packaged goods on the EU market. A US exporter shipping to Rotterdam carries the same exposure as a manufacturer in Germany.  It does not matter where that company is headquartered. For importers, exporters, e-commerce sellers, and manufacturers doing business in Europe, this is one of the most consequential compliance shifts in years. Source: www.globaltrademag.com

The regulation’s most sweeping targets don’t land until 2030. But several binding obligations take effect starting in August 2026, and preparing for them takes time. Chief among these is a near-total ban on PFAS, known as “forever chemicals,” in food-contact packaging. Businesses currently using these substances in packaging placed on the EU market need to reformulate well before the deadline. Supply chain audits, testing, and documentation take months to complete. The exposure does not end at the compliance date. Product liability law allows claims long after a sale, so packaging placed on the market with legacy chemical issues can create liability that lingers for years.

歐盟將於2026年實施新包裝法規，您的產品或因此無法進入市場。一項影響深遠的新法規即將重塑商品進入歐盟時的包裝、標示及運輸方式。這項法規名為《包裝與包裝廢棄物法規》（正式編號為 (EU) 2025/40，通常簡稱為 PPWR），適用於所有向歐盟市場投放包裝商品的企業。無論是向鹿特丹發貨的美國出口商，或是德國本土製造商，都面臨同樣的合規要求；企業總部所在地並不影響法規的適用性。對於在歐洲開展業務的進口商、出口商、電商賣家及製造商而言，這是近年來最具影響力的合規變革之一。

儘管該法規最重大的目標要到2030年才會生效，但多項具有約束力的義務將於2026年8月起實施，而相關準備工作往往耗時漫長。其中最關鍵的一項要求是：幾乎全面禁止在食品接觸包裝中使用 PFAS（即所謂的「永久性化學物質」）。目前在歐盟市場投放的包裝中使用此類物質的企業，必須在截止日期前儘早調整配方。因為供應鏈審核、產品測試及相關文件準備工作往往需要數月才能完成。合規風險並不會隨著法規生效日期的到來而終結。根據產品責任法，即便在銷售完成許久之後，企業仍可能面臨索賠；因此，若投放市場的包裝中含有此類遺留化學物質，可能引發長期的法律責任風險。