Two achievements related to packaging reporting
The Ministry of Climate Affairs has made several amendments to the draft amendment to the Statutes of the Packaging Register, as a result of which the planned amendments are more business-friendly. For example, packaging undertakings are not required to submit data on disposable plastic food packaging and drinking cups to the packaging register retroactively, and records on food packaging and drinking cups are not to be kept on a piece-by-piece basis, but on a weight basis.
The draft on Amendments to the Statutes of the Packaging Register contains important amendments for companies that are placing disposable plastic food packaging and drinking cups on the market for the first time in Estonia.
According to the Packaging Act, a single-use plastic food packaging is a container with or without a lid, from which ready-to-eat food is offered on the spot or for take-away, which is usually consumed from the same container without further baking, cooking or heating. For example, such food packaging includes fast food packaging, sandwich, wrap or salad boxes or packaging containing fresh or processed food that does not require further preparation, such as fruits, vegetables or desserts.
New data to be provided for 2024
In the original version of the draft, it was stated that companies must submit data on disposable plastic food packaging and drinking cups placed on the market in Estonia for the first time by 31 March 2024, but the data must be for 2023. Therefore, the companies should have provided these data retroactively.
We drew the Ministry's attention to the fact that companies did not know at the beginning of 2023 or even at half year that they would have to submit these data to the state. Even if the companies could expect such an obligation to come soon, the companies were not aware of the methodology according to which packaging had to be accounted for.
The Ministry of Climate Affairs took note of the Chamber's proposal and abandoned the plan to impose additional retroactive reporting obligations on companies. According to the updated version of the draft, companies must submit to the packaging register data on disposable plastic food packaging and drinking cups first placed on the market in Estonia by 31 March 2025, but the data must be for 2024.
Calculation is based on weight, not on piece
In the preliminary version of the draft, the Ministry proposed that companies could keep records of disposable plastic food packaging and drinking cups on a piece-by-piece basis and not on a weight basis.
The Chamber informed the Ministry that it supports the weight-based approach for several reasons. First of all, companies today keep records of packaging by weight, not by piece. Therefore, it is logical to continue with the established practice today. Secondly, a weight-based approach will help companies better assess whether and how well they meet the requirement under the Packaging Act to achieve a measurable reduction in disposable plastic food packaging and drinking cups by 2026.
The Ministry of Climate Affairs also took this proposal into account, and in the final version of the draft it is clearly stated that the calculation of disposable plastic food packaging and drinking cups is based on mass, not on pieces.
In the near future, the Ministry of Climate Affairs will send the draft amendment to the Statutes of the Packaging Register to the Government for adoption. According to the draft, the amendments will enter into force on 1 January 2025.