Commission’s interpretation:

The re-use targets for transport packaging (and sales packaging used for transporting products) are limited to situations where such packaging is used ‘within the territory of the Union’. Thus, both operators, i.e importers and distributors, must be located in the EU. In relation to transport packaging (and sales packaging used for transporting products) from third countries, this requirement should be understood as applying from the moment of import, and placing on the market, which means that it has completed all required import procedures and is allowed to circulate on the EU market. This typically takes place in the first warehouse in the EU. The re-use targets shall apply to imported goods in transport packaging after they are placed on the EU market. These targets shall apply from the first warehouse located within the Union until the final destination within the Union territory, where the first warehouse is not the final destination of the consignment. For the purpose of this provision, the ‘first warehouse’ means the facility within the Union where goods in transport packaging first arrive and are stored and unpacked for the purpose of onward distribution within the EU supply chain. Consignments arriving at the first warehouse and destined for a single final destination shall not be required to be unpacked and repacked into reusable packaging. Distribution centres and logistics hubs shall not be considered as final destination.

← art_29__para_3 · All articles · d1e1873-1-1__para →

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