The European Parliament voted to approve the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) on Wednesday April 24, 2024. The vote followed a negotiation agreement reached on March 15 between the EU institutions on the final version of the regulation.

The negotiation agreement, now endorsed by the European Parliament, brought significant changes compared to the original proposal for the regulation by the European Commission specifically in relation to restrictions of packaging formats in HORECA sector and to take-away re-use targets.

"We welcome the European Parliament's vote to move forward on this important piece of environmental legislation. The regulation includes ambitious and binding recyclability and recycling targets for the industry. We are committed to providing our customers with innovative and fully recyclable packaging solutions. We are pleased that the regulation approved today by the European Parliament respects the principle of best environmental outcomes by allowing the use of renewable and recyclable paper-based single use packaging in the HORECA sector", says Charles Héaulmé, President and CEO of Huhtamaki.

The EU Council is expected to confirm the adoption of the regulation later during 2024 with the regulation being implemented during year 2026.