On 18 December 2023 the Council of the European Union adopted its negotiating position on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. The move completed the institutional setup required before trilogue negotiations could begin under the Belgian Council presidency starting 1 January 2024.
The Council text introduced pragmatic adjustments compared with Parliament's November mandate—notably exemptions for member states that already achieve high separate-collection rates for beverage packaging, and refinements to reuse targets for sectors where logistics infrastructure varies widely. Flexible film converters noted that the Council position preserved scope for format-specific assessments rather than blanket bans on certain pouch structures.
Both co-legislators agreed in principle that all packaging placed on the EU market should be designed for recycling by 2030, with effective recycling at scale targeted from 2035. The Council's December position kept weight and volume minimisation obligations but sought longer transition periods for SMEs and micro-enterprises placing limited packaging volumes.
Export-oriented converters in Asia tracked the Council vote closely because PPWR would apply to packaging placed on the EU market regardless of where film was printed or laminated. Quotation discussions increasingly included questions about future recyclability documentation, even for lines scoped primarily around register stability and VFFS handoff quality.
The December Council adoption closed a legislative chapter that began with the Commission proposal in November 2022. Industry observers expected the first trilogue round in March 2024, making PPWR the dominant regulatory theme for flexible packaging planning through drupa and beyond.