Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, has confirmed that insulated fish boxes used in the fresh seafood sector fall within the scope of the reuse targets set out in Article 29 of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), but left the door open to a possible exemption pending a food safety assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
The answer, published on 10 July 2026, responds to a parliamentary question from Renew MEP Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, who warned that the reuse targets risk disrupting logistics chains and creating food safety hazards for consumers. Yon-Courtin noted that the Commission's impact assessment underpinning the PPWR did not evaluate specialised temperature-controlled transport packaging such as insulated fish boxes.
Roswall stated that the Commission is preparing an implementing act under Article 30 of the PPWR to establish a practical methodology for calculating the reuse targets, while further clarifying the packaging formats covered by Article 29. Any consideration of an exemption for insulated fish boxes in direct contact with fresh fish under Article 29(18) would require a comprehensive assessment, including the availability of reusable alternatives at scale. To that end, the Commission has mandated EFSA to issue a scientific opinion on food safety risks of reusable fish boxes, expected in 2027.
The answer provides no immediate relief for seafood operators, who face the full application of the PPWR from August 2026. The Commission's stance signals a cautious, evidence-based approach, prioritising food safety but deferring any exemption decision until the EFSA opinion is delivered. Institutional follow-up will focus on the implementing act under Article 30, due in the coming months, and the EFSA opinion in 2027, which will determine whether a delegated act exempting insulated fish boxes is proposed.