Commerce Ministry warns exporters to prepare for EU PPWR packaging rules
RegulationMacro
Nanthapong Jiralertpong, Director of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office at the Ministry of Commerce, disclosed that the European Union has enacted Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste, known as PPWR, which takes effect from 12 August 2026. The law replaces the previous packaging legislation and sets a single standard across all 27 EU member states to regulate packaging throughout its life cycle, from design and production to post-use management, in line with the circular economy. The standard covers all forms of product packaging, including cardboard boxes, plastic bags, plastic wrap, paper cups, paper bags, aluminium foil, hang tags, stickers, product labels, paper tea bags, coffee capsules, and packaging for shipping goods in e-commerce. It also sets limits on the volume and concentration of hazardous chemicals, rules for testing dangerous metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and chromium, and a ban on PFAS water-repellent coatings in all food packaging. The European Union is Thailand's third-largest export market, after the United States with a 21.31% share and China with 11.71%. In 2025, Thailand exported goods worth 26,491.69 million US dollars to the European Union, up 9.45% from 24,204.70 million US dollars in 2024, accounting for 7.79% of Thailand's total exports. In the first half of 2026, exports to the European Union continued to expand by 20%. Nanthapong added that manufacturers and exporters must adapt quickly by aligning their products with packaging safety standards, reviewing the use of hazardous chemicals and metals, and improving product and packaging design for easier transport. They should also choose materials that are easy to recycle in order to reduce export barriers and gain a competitive advantage in the EU market.
