PPWR check — which obligations apply to you and from when
⏱ Updated: 2026-10-30 · source: Regulation (EU) 2025/40 + EC Guidance C(2026) 3702
Answer six questions about your company and packaging. We will show which PPWR obligations rest with you, from when — and what to prepare.
In brief
- Six questions: role, packaging type, material, food contact, reuse, micro-enterprise.
- Result: a list of PPWR obligations with the article, the deadline and a day countdown — ready to print or save as PDF.
- Free, no login, no cookies; your answers never leave your browser.
How to read the result
Each obligation has one of three statuses. Applies to you — the requirement rests with you for this role and this material. Conditional — it depends on the packaging format (for example the list of formats that must be compostable under Art. 9 or the formats banned under Art. 25), so you need to check your case. Verify with supplier — the requirement must be met, but someone else in the chain draws up the document and you collect the confirmation.
Your role matters most. According to the European Commission, the Declaration of Conformity is drawn up by the manufacturer — the company under whose name or trademark the packaging is placed on the market, even when another company physically makes it (Commission FAQ, ch. II Q 6; more: who is the producer). For unbranded packaging made to order, the company placing the order is the manufacturer. A packaging supplier, as a rule, does not issue the Declaration, but must give the customer the information and technical documentation (Art. 16(1)) — and cannot refuse.
Deadlines the checker counts
The dates come from Regulation (EU) 2025/40. PPWR applies from 12 August 2026 — from that day you need Technical Documentation and a Declaration of Conformity. Further requirements arrive in waves until 2040. Each date is explained on the PPWR deadlines page.
| Date | What starts | Who it concerns |
|---|---|---|
| 12 August 2026 | PPWR applies: Declaration of Conformity (Annex VIII), Technical Documentation (Annex VII), PFAS ban in food-contact packaging | manufacturer, importer; the supplier hands over data (Art. 16) |
| 12 February 2027 | Minimum rotations for reusable packaging: plastic 10, glass 20, metal 25 (Art. 11) | returnable packaging |
| 12 February 2028 | Mandatory compostability of selected formats (Art. 9), review of Art. 8 | selected paper and plastic formats |
| 12 August 2028 | Harmonised labels and pictograms (Art. 12) | whoever places the packed product on the market |
| 1 January 2030 | Recyclability grade min. C ≥ 70 % (Art. 6), empty space ≤ 50 % (Art. 10), first PCR targets (Art. 7), banned formats (Art. 25) | all materials; PCR — plastics only |
| 1 January 2035 | Recycling “at scale” (Art. 6) | all materials |
| 1 January 2038 | Only grades A and B ≥ 80 % on the market (Art. 6) | all materials |
| 1 January 2040 | Higher PCR targets for plastics (Art. 7) | plastics |
What the checker does not do
This is an orientation tool. It does not assess the conformity of a specific packaging, does not calculate the recyclability grade and does not check laboratory reports. That takes material data, heavy-metal and PFAS test results and documentation from suppliers. The PPWRapka app covers this part: you enter your data once and the app assembles the Technical Documentation and the Declaration of Conformity. Smaller companies that only need the declaration can use the lite edition deklaracjeppwr.pl.
Want PPWR deadlines on your own website? Embed the “PPWR deadlines” widget — one line of code, no cookies.
Frequently asked questions
Is the PPWR checker free?
Yes. It works without login and without cookies, and your answers are not sent anywhere — the result is calculated in your browser.
Who draws up the PPWR Declaration of Conformity?
The manufacturer — the company under whose name or trademark the packaging is placed on the market; for unbranded packaging made to order, the company that ordered it (Commission FAQ, ch. II Q 6 and ch. X Q 14). The supplier provides information and documentation (Art. 16(1)).
Is a micro-enterprise exempt from PPWR?
There is no general exemption. When the brand owner is a micro-enterprise and the supplier is established in the same EU Member State, the supplier is the manufacturer (Commission FAQ, ch. II Q 6). There is no general EPR exemption, but a micro-enterprise manufacturer whose packaging-material supplier is in the same Member State is exempt from EPR requirements (Commission FAQ, ch. XVIII Q 1).
When does PCR recycled content apply to packaging?
From 1 January 2030, for plastics only (Art. 7): 30 % for PET food-contact packaging and beverage bottles, 10 % for food-contact packaging from other plastics, 35 % for the rest. From 1 January 2040 the thresholds rise.
Does the checker result replace a conformity assessment?
No. It is an orientation on obligations and deadlines. A specific packaging is assessed with data and documents in the PPWRapka app.
ℹ️ This material is informational and educational and does not constitute legal advice. Only Regulation (EU) 2025/40 and national law are binding. PPWRapka is a commercial tool, not a public-administration service.