Summary · why it matters
EXIM BANK held a seminar to prepare Thai entrepreneurs for the European Union's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, or PPWR, which will come into practical effect on 12 August 2026. Mr. Chalat Rattanaboonnithi, Managing Director of EXIM BANK, revealed that there are over 3,400 environmental trade measures under the European Green Deal, and small entrepreneurs have adapted very little. Ms. Woramon Sinsuwan, Director of the European Union Division, Department of European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the PPWR is a regulation that all 27 EU member states must comply with immediately. Entrepreneurs must prepare a Technical Document and a Declaration of Conformity to confirm that packaging contains no hazardous substances such as heavy metals and PFAS, covering all three levels of packaging. Dr. Weerachat Kittirattanapaiboon, Chief Executive Officer of Better World Green Public Company Limited, emphasized that replacing plastic with natural materials from Thailand's agricultural base, such as bagasse and rice straw, is a sustainable solution that also increases farmers' incomes. EXIM BANK also offers non-financial services to help SMEs prepare sustainability reports in line with GRI standards, as well as loan products for adaptation, such as EXIM Solar D-Carbon loans and Green X Transformation loans, with interest rates starting at 2.75% per year.