EU Packaging Webinar for Food and Beverage Exporters, Part 2 Packaging Compliance for U.S. Food and Agricultural Exporters Shipping to the European Union

The European Union's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will require retail and transport packaging?to be recyclable, and introduces requirements for recycled content, packaging minimization, re-use targets, and bans certain packaging formats. While most of these requirements will become mandatory between 2028 and 2030, on August 12, 2026, the PPWR entered into application. This first stage requires exporters to provide a formal declaration of conformity that their packaging meets certain initial PPWR requirements for minimum levels of heavy metal in all primary and transport packaging, as well as limits on PFAS for food contact materials. This webinar will provide an overview of the PPWR, recent updates and calls for evidence from the European Commission, and practical information from USDA industry partners to share information.

Speakers:

• Sophie Bolla, Agricultural Specialist, USDA/FAS, U.S. Mission to the EU in Brussels.

Sophie Bolla will provide an overview on Packaging Compliance for U.S. Exporters to the EU, immediate regulatory requirements from August 12, and share other timely updates.

• Andrew Mack, Agricultural Science Advisor, USDA/FAS.

Andrew Mack will discuss the Article 7 (minimum recycled content in plastic packaging) Calls for Evidence comment process, due to the European Union by September 16.

• Abhijeet Kulkarni, Principal, Technical and Trade Issues for The Almond Board of California.

Abhijeet Kulkarni will share how the Almond industry is planning to comply with PPWR, and what updates they are making to their packaging.

• Jason Ortega, Senior VP of Woodpack Global.

Jason Ortega will share Woodpack Global’s PPWR toolkit for wooden pallet manufacturers and will focus on Declaration of Conformity.