{"id":11637,"date":"2026-02-25T08:30:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T05:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/germany-packaging-epr-requirements-new-law\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T14:21:52","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T11:21:52","slug":"germany-packaging-epr-requirements-new-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/germany-packaging-epr-requirements-new-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Germany Packaging EPR Requirements Under the New Packaging Law"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On 11 February 2026 in Berlin, the Federal Cabinet adopted the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bundesumweltministerium.de\/pressemitteilung\/neues-verpackungsgesetz-verbessert-abfallvermeidung-und-recycling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">draft<\/a> Packaging Law Implementation Act (VerpackDG). The new law is designed to transpose the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) into German law and will replace the existing Packaging Act (VerpackG). The goal is to ensure smooth interaction with the EU framework from August 2026 while maintaining and further developing Germany\u2019s established packaging compliance structures.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/germany-packaging-epr-requirements-new-law\/#Alignment_with_the_EU_Packaging_Regulation\" >Alignment with the EU Packaging Regulation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/germany-packaging-epr-requirements-new-law\/#Expanded_Authorisation_Requirements\" >Expanded Authorisation Requirements<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/germany-packaging-epr-requirements-new-law\/#Mandatory_Waste_Prevention_Measures\" >Mandatory Waste Prevention Measures<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/germany-packaging-epr-requirements-new-law\/#Higher_Recycling_Targets_from_2028\" >Higher Recycling Targets from 2028<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/germany-packaging-epr-requirements-new-law\/#What_Happens_Next\" >What Happens Next?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/germany-packaging-epr-requirements-new-law\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Alignment_with_the_EU_Packaging_Regulation\"><\/span><strong>Alignment with the EU Packaging Regulation<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The new VerpackDG serves as the national implementation of the European Packaging Regulation. While the EU regulation applies directly, certain elements require national rules, particularly around enforcement, authorisation and financing structures.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Germany is choosing evolution over disruption. Existing mechanisms, such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verpackungsregister.org\/en\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR)<\/em><\/a> will remain in place, but with expanded responsibilities and tighter oversight.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Expanded_Authorisation_Requirements\"><\/span><strong>Expanded Authorisation Requirements<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the most significant changes concerns <strong>authorisation<\/strong>. Until now, authorisation primarily applied to dual systems responsible for the collection of household packaging waste via the yellow bin or yellow bag. Under the new law, this requirement will be extended. <strong>In<\/strong> <strong>future<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>All organisations assuming extended producer responsibility (EPR) for multiple producers <strong>must obtain<\/strong> <strong>approval<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Manufacturers that do not join such an organisation <strong>will need to apply for individual authorisation<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">An automated, low-bureaucracy procedure is planned via the ZSVR. Importantly, the financing of the system will also change. New participants brought under the authorisation framework will contribute to funding, whereas until now financing was largely borne by dual systems and industry solution operators.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For packaging producers, this means closer scrutiny of <strong>how<\/strong> and <strong>through whom<\/strong> their EPR obligations are fulfilled.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mandatory_Waste_Prevention_Measures\"><\/span><strong>Mandatory Waste Prevention Measures<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Waste prevention is no longer a soft policy goal, but a <strong>funded obligation<\/strong>. Under the draft law, certain actors, including dual systems, industry solutions, other EPR organisations and even producers not represented by such organisations, must allocate a minimum share of their budgets to <strong>waste prevention measures.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Planned measures include:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li><strong>Financial support<\/strong> for reusable packaging systems<\/li>\n<li><strong>Promotion<\/strong> of refill solutions<\/li>\n<li><strong>Public information campaigns<\/strong> encouraging reuse<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The intention is to reduce single-use packaging volumes and accelerate the shift toward circular models. For companies investing in reuse infrastructure, this could open new funding and partnership opportunities.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11631 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ARTICLE-GUIDE-COVER-PICS-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Germany Packaging EPR Requirements Under the New Packaging Law\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ARTICLE-GUIDE-COVER-PICS-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ARTICLE-GUIDE-COVER-PICS-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ARTICLE-GUIDE-COVER-PICS-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ARTICLE-GUIDE-COVER-PICS.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Higher_Recycling_Targets_from_2028\"><\/span><strong>Higher Recycling Targets from 2028<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The VerpackDG also tightens recycling quotas, with new targets taking effect from 2028. Key changes include:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li><strong>Aluminium and ferrous metals<\/strong>: recycling rates will increase by 5 percentage points, to <strong>95 % each<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Plastics<\/strong>: The previous recovery rate will be replaced by a <strong>75 % recycling rate<\/strong>. Of this, <strong>70 % must be materially recycled<\/strong>. The remaining share may be achieved through other recognised recycling processes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_Next\"><\/span><strong>What Happens Next?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Following the cabinet decision, the draft law will undergo notification at the European level. It must then pass through the Bundestag, with the Bundesrat also involved in the legislative process.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>If adopted as planned, the new framework will apply alongside the EU Packaging Regulation from August 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Packaging Law Implementation Act signals a more structured and demanding phase for the German packaging market. By expanding authorisation requirements, mandating financial commitments to waste prevention and raising recycling quotas, the German government is tightening both compliance oversight and circular economy performance standards. Companies operating in Germany should use the transition period to review their EPR arrangements, authorisation status and long-term material strategies, as regulatory alignment with the EU framework will soon move from preparation to enforcement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Germany packaging EPR requirements explained, including VerpackDG authorisation and recycling targets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":11632,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,545,540],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","category-packaging-legislation-en","category-regulations-policy-en","category-28","category-545","category-540","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11637","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11637"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11637\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11638,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11637\/revisions\/11638"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11637"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11637"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}