The 2026 Regulatory Shifts: What Is Changing and How to Prepare

Two EU frameworks, Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 and Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR), are about to reshape how every producer, recycler, and converter in Europe proves the safety, traceability, and recycled content of their materials.
The rules are already in place. The question is how ready your systems are to meet them by 2026.

Why 2026 Matters

Starting in August and September 2026, both regulations move from development to enforcement.
Their combined effect: producers, recyclers, and converters will need stronger control over testing data, sourcing, and documentation for recycled materials.

What These Changes Mean for Your Operations

• Testing expectations are tightening. Functional barrier validation and NIAS analysis must follow harmonized EU protocols through accredited laboratories.
• Packaging design must be evidence-based. Recyclability, purity, and content thresholds will need to be supported by verifiable data, not declarations.
• Digital traceability becomes mandatory. Regulators and brand owners will expect an electronic record that connects recycling process, material composition, and packaging output.

Where Most Companies Are Struggling Today

How Leading Producers Are Preparing / How to prepare

1. Map current exposure. Identify all products, materials, and recycling processes that fall under the new frameworks.
2. Standardize testing protocols. Align NIAS and purity methods with EU-validated parameters.
3. Consolidate laboratory data. Centralize results from multiple labs and sites in a single, auditable system.
4. Run a pre-audit simulation. Confirm whether reports can be produced instantly and defended.
5. Benchmark performance before enforcement. Compare laboratory results, cost, and data completeness now to avoid last-minute corrections once the 2026 audits begin.

Timeline

Both frameworks are already law. What changes in 2026 is enforcement, along with the expectation that every data point, test, and authorization can be verified instantly.

The transition window is closing fast. Those who use 2025 to validate and centralize their data will be the ones who meet 2026 with confidence.

Where You Can Start Now

KÖR Group helps producers and recyclers align testing, documentation, and traceability systems with the upcoming EU regulations.

The transition window is closing fast. Those who use 2025 to validate and centralize their data will be the ones who meet 2026 with confidence.

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A short conversation is often enough to map your current position and pinpoint the fastest route to full readiness.

Get in touch with us!

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