Georgia has further developed its regulatory framework for plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. After adopting Resolution No. 304/2022, which introduced a national Technical Regulation aligned with Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, the country has now issued two important amendments in 2025. These updates, introduced through Resolution No. 503/2025 and Resolution No. 637/2025, refine compliance-control criteria and establish transitional provisions that directly affect manufacturers, importers and distributors in the packaging sector. For businesses supplying the Georgian market, understanding the updated timelines and scope is essential.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background: Alignment with EU Plastics Legislation
Resolution No. 304/2022 approved Georgia’s Technical Regulation on plastic food contact materials, creating a comprehensive framework largely modeled on EU legislation. The regulation mirrors the structure and substance requirements of the EU plastics regime, including rules on authorized substances, migration limits, declarations of compliance and supporting documentation.
The Technical Regulation became fully effective on January 1, 2026, marking a significant step in aligning Georgia’s food packaging standards with European requirements.
Resolution No. 503/2025: Compliance Control Criteria and Transitional Measures
On November 13, 2025, Georgia adopted Resolution No. 503/2025, which introduces compliance-control criteria designed to ensure effective enforcement of the Technical Regulation. This amendment clarifies how authorities will assess conformity and strengthens regulatory oversight across the supply chain.
Importantly for the packaging industry, Resolution No. 503/2025 also establishes transitional provisions for products placed on the market before January 1, 2026. In general, non-compliant plastic food contact materials placed on the market before that date may remain available until December 31, 2026.
However, certain single-use plastic products are subject to shorter transition periods. Plastic forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks, plates, straws and beverage stirrers, as well as expanded polystyrene (EPS) food containers, EPS lids and EPS cups, may remain on the market only until March 31, 2026, provided they were placed on the market before January 1, 2026. In addition, catering establishments are permitted to use disposable plastic food containers and cups for ready-made foods only until June 30, 2026.
Resolution No. 637/2025: Further Clarification on Compliance Control
On December 30, 2025, Georgia adopted Resolution No. 637/2025, which further clarifies the compliance-control criteria introduced under Resolution No. 503/2025.
While it does not fundamentally alter the substance restrictions or migration requirements established under the Technical Regulation, it strengthens the practical enforcement framework. For packaging manufacturers, this means closer scrutiny of documentation, testing data and conformity declarations supporting plastic food contact materials.
Both Resolution No. 503/2025 and Resolution No. 637/2025 entered into force on January 1, 2026, alongside the full applicability of the Technical Regulation.
Practical Implications for the Packaging Industry
For packaging manufacturers, converters, importers, and other industry stakeholders, the 2025 amendments signal a shift from legislative adoption to active enforcement. Companies must now ensure that plastic materials and articles comply not only with substance and migration requirements aligned with EU standards, but also with Georgia’s clarified compliance-control expectations.
Particular attention should be paid to stock management for single-use plastic products and EPS food containers, as transitional deadlines in early and mid-2026 are significantly shorter than the general December 2026 phase-out period. Documentation systems, declarations of compliance and technical files should be reviewed to ensure they meet strengthened oversight requirements.
Conclusion
Georgia’s 2025 amendments do not rewrite the core Technical Regulation on plastic food contact materials, but they mark an important operational phase. With enforcement mechanisms clarified and transitional timelines defined, the regulatory framework is now fully active.
For the packaging industry, this means moving from preparation to implementation. Companies supplying plastic food contact materials in Georgia must verify conformity with EU-aligned substance rules, manage transitional inventories carefully and ensure robust documentation to withstand regulatory scrutiny. Early alignment and proactive compliance will be essential to avoid disruption in 2026 and the coming years.
