Compliance and the importance of following regulation change
Global e-commerce is on the rise. In 2025, 5.8bn (that’s billion!) items entered the EU.
Testing of goods coming into the EU (5,772 cosmetics, 2,092 PPE, 3,474 food supplements) found that the majority did not comply with EU rules and product standards. A similar finding from the EU’s Safety Gate rapid alert system for dangerous non-food goods found that cosmetics and toys accounted for over half of reported unsafe products.
The interesting thing is that the countries listed as making up the majority of non-compliant products are the US, China, and the UK. It is therefore more important than ever to know that the goods you are supplying into our largest export partner are compliant.
Despite some post-Brexit divergence, it is worth noting that we are seeing increased alignment with the EU on topics such as Packaging, Batteries, Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) rules, and Carbon Trading; therefore, getting ahead of potential future regulatory changes keeps you on the front foot.
EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR)
Due to take effect in the EU from August 2026, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR) outlines EU wide rules on recyclability, reuse, labelling and mandates extended producer responsibility. It will be implemented with a few minor omissions by the Windsor framework in Northern Ireland, and the UK is widely expected to align with the mandatory labelling requirements which are implemented under PPWR from 2028.
Batteries
Due to application in Northern Ireland, the UK Government is currently hosting a series of workshops with industry on adopting the EU Batteries Regulations across the whole of the UK.
Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS)
To reduce costs for importing and exporting with the EU, it was confirmed, on 9 March 2026, that the UK will align with EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) legislation.
This is a slight divergence since Brexit has led to increased checks for food and feed, etc., between the UK and the EU. It has also led to friction between Britain and Northern Ireland.
To reduce costs, speed up supply chains, reduce spoilage, and improve market access for British agri-food exporters, the UK Government has now formally confirmed alignment with a range on EU SPS and agri-food legislation with the end goal of establishing a new UK-EU SPS Agreement by mid-2027.
EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
On 1 January 2026, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) came into force, charging a CO2 emissions fees on certain imported goods such as cement, iron, aluminium, and fertilisers.
While the UK was hoping for temporary exemption from this levy while negotiations were underway for alignment, the EU announced before Christmas that Britain, nor any other country, would be exempt. The UK Government has said that this could cost industry around £800m per year.
With the UK’s own CBAM in final stages of consultation and due to come into force from 1 January 2027, although yet to be confirmed, we can hope that alignment and linkage of carbon markets will lead to mutual CBAM exemption on both sides of the Channel, removing a trade barrier for our largest, and closest, trading partner.
Beyondly is here to help!
At Beyondly, we help businesses understand regulatory change across the EU and the UK and how this may impact their sector or business. We can help businesses comply with current regulations and prepare for the future.
Written by Michael Jennings, in collaboration with Liz Wood, Head of Sustainability.
