Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2026/429 of 25 February 2026 on supplementing Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council by exempting certain economic operators that use pallet wrappings and straps from the 100 % reuse requirements of these packaging formats

Official Journal of the European Union

EN
L series

2026/429

6.5.2026

COMMISSION DELEGATED DECISION (EU) 2026/429
of 25 February 2026

on supplementing Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council by exempting certain economic operators that use pallet wrappings and straps from the 100 % reuse requirements of these packaging formats
(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 on packaging and packaging waste, amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and Directive (EU) 2019/904, and repealing Directive 94/62/EC ( 1 ) , and in particular Article 29(18) point (a), thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Pallet wrappings and straps are transport packaging formats covered by the re-use targets set out in Article 29(1), (2) and (3), of Regulation (EU) 2025/40. Article 29(1) of that Regulation establishes an overall 40 % re-use target for the economic operators that use certain transport packaging formats in a calendar year, which means that the operators can compensate a used format with a low re-use rate with one that has a high re-use rate.

(2)

Article 29(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU) 2025/40 impose on economic operators that use those transport packaging formats a 100 % re-use target for transports within the same company or linked or partner companies in the Union, and for transports between companies within the same Member State.

(3)

Even though reusable pallet wrappings and straps are currently commercially available and used for the transport of certain goods, there is strong evidence that the exclusive use of reusable pallet wrappings and straps for stabilisation and protection of products put on pallets during transport, in all cases covered by Article 29(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU) 2025/40, can lead to disproportionate adaption costs for the operators concerned.

(4)

Evidence shows that transitioning to 100 % reusable pallet wrappings and straps involves high initial investments to redesign packaging lines. The shift to reusable pallet wrappings and straps would require investments in automated solutions for reusable packaging which are not sufficiently developed yet. Such shift thus might disrupt supply chains and lead to costs to the economic operators, primarily to those who use transport packaging.

(5)

It is therefore necessary to exempt economic operators that use pallet wrappings and straps for stabilisation and protection of products put on pallets during transport from the re-use targets set out in Article 29(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU) 2025/40,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Exemption concerning pallet wrappings and straps

Economic operators that use pallet wrappings or straps for stabilisation and protection of products put on pallets during transport are exempted from the 100 % reuse requirements of these packaging formats established in Article 29(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU) 2025/40.

Article 2

Entry into force and application

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .

Done at Brussels, 25 February 2026.

For the Commission

The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN

( 1 )
OJ L, 2025/40, 22.1.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/40/oj .

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_del/2026/429/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)