Industry News

Are You Ready for the EU PPWR? Key Compliance FAQs

With less than two weeks to go, the EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) becomes fully mandatory on August 12, 2026. Recently, we've seen a surge in inquiries from exporters across the chemical, machinery, personal care, and consumer goods sectors. Many businesses are struggling to navigate critical requirements—such as regulated packaging scopes, testing standards, Declarations of Conformity (DoC), EPR registration, and supply-chain liability. To help clients quickly assess its readiness and ensure compliance, we’ve put together this essential enterprise FAQ guide.

Regulatory Alert! EU Reports Food-Contact Material Violations — Excessive Heavy-Metal Migration Accounts for Nearly 70%

Recently, the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) reported 15 cases of food-contact materials failing sampling inspections. Of these, 9 originated from China, 1 each from Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands, and 3 from unknown sources. The main reasons for non-compliance in this batch of notifications were: excessive migration of heavy metals — 10 cases; excessive migration of aromatic amines — 3 cases; missing compliance documentation — 2 cases; and insufficient product testing — 1 case.

Cosmetic Efficacy Testing: Why Claim Substantiation Matters in 2026

Cosmetic efficacy testing has become an essential step in developing compliant, evidence-based cosmetic products. Whether launching a new skincare product, validating sunscreen SPF claims, or supporting anti-ageing marketing claims, brands increasingly need scientific evidence to demonstrate that their products deliver the benefits promised on the label. Consumers today expect greater transparency from cosmetic brands, while regulators worldwide are placing increasing emphasis on ensuring that cosmetic claims are truthful, substantiated, and supported by appropriate evidence. As a result, cosmetic efficacy testing plays a critical role in product development, regulatory compliance, and successful market access.

Under the EU PPWR, Is Medical Device Packaging Truly Exempt?

PPWR imposes on all companies placing packaging on the EU market a full chain of obligations spanning substances, design, and recyclability. Medical device companies are no bystanders — although, given the special nature of their products, the primary packaging in direct contact with the product enjoys certain relaxations with regard to "recyclability" and "recycled content," core responsibilities such as minimization, hazardous substances, labeling, EPR, and the Declaration of Conformity apply in full. There is therefore no such thing as a complete exemption for medical device packaging under the PPWR framework.