Commission’s interpretation:

Member States can decide whether packaging additional to packaging formats listed in Article 9(1) and in point (a) of Article 9(2) should be compostable on their territories until 12 August 2026. Member States may only decide that such additional compostable packaging formats are industrially compostable. Member States should communicate any national rules mandating compostability for additional packaging items clearly to the economic operators and to the general public, as well as to the European Commission, to avoid any confusion. Member States are advised to compile explicit lists of such items and make them public to ensure that economic operators can comply with the related labelling and compostability requirements. While the Regulation allows home-compostability for a limited number of plastic packaging items listed in Article 9(1), reflecting situations where Member States implement home-composting as one of the waste management options for bio-waste, the home-composting should only be considered in the context of specific local conditions and implemented under the supervision of the relevant authorities. Member States should communicate any national rules mandating home-compostability clearly to the economic operators and to the general public, as well as to the European Commission, to avoid any confusion. Member States are advised to compile explicit lists of such items and make them public to ensure that economic operators can comply with the related labelling and compostability requirements. The PPWR allows Member States to mandate home-compostability before the adoption of the relevant harmonised standards, or even in their absence. As regards the presumption of conformity of home-compostable packaging, any existing national standards on home-compostability and existing certifications schemes may be used by manufacturers to demonstrate compliance with Article 9, but such certifications do not create a presumption of conformity with the compostability requirement. By 12 February 2026, the Commission will request the European standardisation bodies to create a new, EU-wide standard on home compostability, pursuant to Article 9(6). The existing standard EN 13432 on industrial composting (21) can be used as guidance until the new standard is adopted. However, the presumption of conformity with the new harmonised standards on compostable packaging will only be possible again from the date when a new decision listing relevant harmonised standards, as requested by the Commission pursuant to Article 9(6), is published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-07 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.