The German Bundestag passed extensive amendments to packaging legislation on 11 June 2026. The new law transposes the EU requirements of the Packaging Regulation (EU) 2025/40 into German law. Its aim is to reduce packaging waste, strengthen the circular economy, and significantly expand the use of recycled materials. 

Key elements of the reform include higher recycling rates for plastic waste, 75% from 2028 and 80% from 2030, as well as stricter requirements for reusability, compostability, and the use of recyclates. In addition, hard‑to‑recycle plastics are to be avoided in the future. Oversized packaging will also be restricted and more clearly labelled to facilitate sorting and disposal. 

The Environment Committee supplemented the draft with additional incentives for environmentally friendly packaging design. An accompanying resolution calls on the federal government to present concrete specifications for the use of recyclates by 2027 and to advance a uniform EU verification procedure for plastic recyclates. 

More information can be found in the original German Bundestag article (in German): https://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2026/kw24-de-verpackungsrecht-1183826