EU-Verpackungsverordnung: Eigentlich wollte niemand dieses Gesetz – doch nun bremst es kleine Online-Händler aus

The European Union's Packaging Waste Act (Verpackungsverordnung) recently came into effect, aiming to make e-commerce more sustainable, strengthen the single market, and avoid trade barriers. While the regulation seeks to ban harmful substances in packaging and promote reusable packaging, it presents significant challenges for small online retailers.

Oliver Perrone, a textile entrepreneur from Esslingen, had originally planned to expand his business in Spain, France, and Italy. However, he has now abandoned these plans due to the new regulation. The PPWR requires each online retailer that sells products to EU countries to register in every individual sales country and appoint a representative to oversee compliance and answer to authorities. For small businesses, this could entail several hundred euros in costs per country.

The burden of the new regulations has led many small online retailers to stop sending products to EU countries altogether. Larger companies, on the other hand, continue with their business as usual, accepting the extra costs. The EU Commission had proposed easing the new obligations in December 2025, but the proposal was not discussed in the Council due to lack of a majority.

The EU Parliament's Environmental Committee now proposes a revised version of the Commission's proposal, which would only apply to small businesses with up to 49 employees and a turnover of 10 million euros per year. The Parliament will discuss the issue during its summer recess, with the first reading scheduled for October. A solution for small businesses may still be a ways off, and some EU politicians are unhappy with the lack of progress.

Oliver Perrone has proposed reducing his online sales to the EU instead of stopping them entirely. He has already encountered difficulties registering and appointing a representative in Italy, the country where he generates the most revenue. He suspects that the necessary forms and email addresses have not been set up properly. Despite the challenges, Perrone is determined to continue his business in the EU, albeit with reduced sales.