Take measures encouraging re-use and refill systems that comply with Arts. 27 and 28 and Annex VI without compromising food hygiene or consumer safety, and ensure EPR schemes and deposit and return systems allocate a minimum share of their budget to reduction and prevention.
Member States must comply, and this is law in force.
Why it matters
This is law in force, not a proposal.
- It is Art. 51(1) and (3), in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. as of 2026-08-18
- The act gives its timing as: From 12 August 2026 (Art. 71). as of 2026-08-18
- It names one industry by name: Waste. as of 2026-08-18
- Compliance is checked by none, continuous. as of 2026-08-18
What changes
All 27 Member States. The budget-allocation limb in Art. 51(3) is the operative one: it directs EPR and DRS money towards prevention rather than only towards collection.
The rule
national re-use and refill systems
Take measures encouraging re-use and refill systems that comply with Arts. 27 and 28 and Annex VI without compromising food hygiene or consumer safety, and ensure EPR schemes and deposit and return systems allocate a minimum share of their budget to reduction and prevention.
Who is affected
Burden drivers
Binds a Member State, not a company by size.
Source text
Member States shall take measures to encourage the establishment of re-use systems for packaging with sufficient incentives for return and of refill systems in an environmentally sound manner. Those systems shall comply with the requirements laid down in Articles 27 and 28 and Annex VI and shall not compromise food hygiene or the safety of consumers.
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