The EU Council has officially passed relevant regulations on packaging and packaging waste, marking the implementation of an important environmental policy.

    This new regulation aims to significantly reduce the generation of packaging waste and promote the transformation of the packaging industry towards sustainable development by setting mandatory reuse targets, restricting certain types of disposable packaging, and requiring economic entities to reduce packaging usage. This regulation covers the entire lifecycle of packaging, reflecting the EU's strategic goals in circular economy and climate neutrality.

    The new regulations include multiple specific requirements for packaging, aimed at ensuring that packaging is more environmentally friendly, recyclable, and not harmful to human health:

    2030 and 2040 targets: Each packaging must contain a certain proportion of recycled content, especially by 2040, the proportion of recycled content for disposable plastic bottles must reach 65%.

    Reduce packaging weight and volume: It is required to minimize unnecessary use of packaging and avoid excessive packaging.

    Restriction of harmful substances: Especially for food contact packaging, products containing excessive amounts of perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are restricted from being marketed.

    Labeling and information requirements: Packaging is required to indicate material composition and recycling content to help consumers classify correctly and make informed choices.

    The formal adoption of the EU Council means that this regulation has completed the final step of the ordinary legislative process. The regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and officially come into effect, expected to be implemented within 18 months after the effective date.