What’s happening in the world of policy: April 2026
A month of relative calm in the UK was matched by rising political and regulatory tensions across the EU. Our Policy & Public Affairs Advisor, Michael Jennings, breaks down the key updates and what they mean for businesses.
It’s been a pretty good month through April and into May, with most UK regulations bedding in or setting up nicely. Over the channel in the EU, things couldn’t be further from relaxed, with the march toward simplification throwing up cost implications and worries left right and centre (of the political spectrum).
I don’t know about you, but the past month has felt like the longest month in a while, and I’m not complaining. With the nice weather gracing my doorstep up here in the Yorkshire Dales, and a newly finished garden to be able to soak up the rays, I hope you all have been using this quieter period to relax while we work up to summer!
UK
Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR)
There's been no real updates this month, you’ll be pleased to know. The world of UK packaging seems to be ticking along nicely, for the most part.
The recent PRN consultation is now closed and Beyondly have sent off our response. In case you're not already signed up: our next member-exclusive “UK Packaging Recycling & PRN Market Update” is taking place on 21.05.26.
- As a reminder, now that we are nearly halfway through the year(!), members should be collecting all Nation of Sale data throughout 2026 to submit by April next year. You can find more information in the guidance and the regulations.
- NB: We are still waiting for finalised submission details from the EA before we can advise on the specifics of this reporting criteria.
Digital Waste Tracking (DWT)
A huge step on the road to combating waste crime; Phase 1 of Digital Waste Tracking is now live for waste receiving sites starting in October 2026, expanding to waste carriers, brokers, and dealers around October 2027.
Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers (DRS)
The good news is, a flat rate 20p deposit will be applied for all container materials, formats, and sizes. We are expecting the *return handling fee to be published 29.05.26, and producer registration fees on 31.07.26.
The bad news is, Wales rejected the only application for the DMO in Wales by Exchange for Change (EfC). EfC will appeal this decision and reapply once the Senedd opens after the election, now with Plaid Cymru replacing Labour.
*Return handling fee: The amount that a return point will receive per returned container to cover the costs associated with being a return point.
UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (UK CBAM)
There is a new “Emissions and Verifications” consultation [closes 21.05] on the secondary legislation needed before go-live in January 2027. The CBAM Policy Paper has been updated to reflect this consultation and the previous one earlier in the year, which includes a summary of CBAM and its core policy framework.
Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)
Not a huge update, but the *Auction Reserve Price (ARP) has been increased from £22 to £28 to reflect inflation. There was also an interesting report published by Energy UK, showing that scrapping the UK’s ETS (as proposed by certain political parties) would leave the UK economically isolated from other countries that operate carbon pricing systems, (EU, US, China, India). It would cost British businesses around £10b over 10 years in EU CBAM costs, while also driving up gas use in the UK, which would lead to higher household gas prices due to increased demand on the system.
*Auction Reserve Price: The minimum price that carbon credits can be traded at.
Circular Economy
There are rafts of businesses and industry groups now calling on the Government to publish the long-awaited Circular Economy Growth Plan, but with worry about the effect this will have on consumers during a cost of living crisis, it is assumed the Government is delaying publishing a report that is directly linked to increased costs for consumers until a less politically sensitive time. That and political manoeuvrings and discussions must be making Keir’s week miserable!
EU
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
The FAQ and Guidance documents have been published, and we are updating our member-exclusive PPWR Policy Insights to reflect new guidance.
It is worth noting that certain parts of industry are being very vocal in wanting the Commission to delay or water down parts of PPWR. Those on the other side are worried that any attempt to delay or amend PPWR will set a dangerous precedent and undermine the integrity of this landmark regulation this close to go-live. It is also quite interesting that most of the dissenting voices are from companies headquartered outside of the EU, leading some to see this as foreign influence trying to amend EU laws.
EU Batteries Regulations (EUBR)
For those placing products containing batteries on the market, there is a consultation [closes 26.05] on the list of products exempt from the general removability and replaceability requirements. It is important to note that this wouldn’t remove the requirement that the batteries need to be removable and replaceable but would move the focus of the obligation from the consumer to independent professionals, leaving the aim of the regulation intact.
For those that are placing electric toys on the market, there is a derogation from the requirement until July 2030, from when the Commission states that the EU’s Toy Safety Regulation will kick in and cover this particular scenario on its own.
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
The derogations from the ban on discarding unsold textiles has been published. This lists the circumstances in which unsold textiles may be discarded, including IP infringement, dangerous goods, and lack of end market through donation. In addition, the disclosure of discarded unsold products has been adopted, but we are still awaiting publication in the Official Journal.
For all products that a company discards, including which they instruct others to discard, they will need to publish a publicly available yearly report outlining which products they have discarded, numbers and weights, reasons for discarding, and how they have been discarded; either through reuse or destroyed (which includes recycling much to the chagrin of some).
EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)
Hopefully this is the final amendment before EUDR goes live at the end of the year!
There is a consultation [closes 01.06] on changes to in-scope products, with products such as instant coffee and certain palm oil products (one for the cosmetics industry to look at) included, but leather excluded (due to heavy lobbying). Guidance has also been published alongside an FAQ document to address frequently raised topics and provide further clarification on the new obligations for the downstream supply chain.
With deforestation regulations and other due diligence requirements popping up in all different markets, making sure you are ahead of your competitors and getting your house in order is a clear path to switching regulation from a financial burden to a regulatory advantage.
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
Following the Omnibus I simplifications being published in February, we now have two consultations [closes 03.06] finalising the:
- Revised reporting standards and data points under ESRS
- Reporting requirements for SMEs subject to data requests from CSRD obligated businesses in their supply chain, limited requests to the voluntary standards.
Given the increased thresholds for companies under CSRD, we would recommend the second consultation to all SMEs with potentially obligated companies in their supply chains to make sure that you have a say in the data requests that may be coming your way. The same applies if you are looking to report voluntarily as a non-obligated company; these consultations may be worth a read for your own future voluntary reporting.
EU Customs Reform
The EU Customs Reform is the largest overhaul of the EU Customs Union since 1968 and will fundamentally change how businesses supply parcels in the EU. Please refer to our news story on the new costs that you may face selling into the EU.
Beyondly is here to help!
Our passionate team is committed to always finding a better way to collectively create a more sustainable world for all. We're proud to host a variety of insightful webinar sessions for industry professionals, detailing our services, market updates, and policy changes to help participants adapt to the evolving landscape. We also offer Member-Exclusive webinars for those who are registered with Beyondly.
