The European Commission was due to uncork the long-awaited Environmental Omnibus on 3 December 2025, but the bottle stays sealed for now. No official explanation has been given, although informal signals from DG ENV suggest that the PPWR is unlikely to be part of the package.
The Omnibus is intended to simplify EU environmental rules, which is an objective spirits producers are very happy to support. However, simplification should not turn into an attempt to reopen the entire PPWR. That would be like shaking a bottle of sparkling wine: unnecessary and almost guaranteed to make a mess. Any changes should remain focused on provisions that are genuinely unworkable.
Protecting the Single Market remains essential. Diverging national labelling rules, additional prevention measures or higher reuse targets could easily create fragmentation. Waste-reduction targets based on 2018 levels could also penalise circular materials such as glass. Stronger safeguards are needed to avoid these inconsistencies before they disrupt business.
Labelling rules must stay practical. Spirits labels already operate with very limited space, and overloading them will not help consumers, especially on miniatures. Digital tools, pictograms and exemptions for very small packages would help maintain clarity without clutter.
Most importantly, standardised packaging is simply not acceptable for our sector. The bottle is a core part of spirits packaging and this is recognised in the PPWR itself. It plays a vital role in brand identity, heritage and the overall consumer experience. Forcing common formats or rigid size and weight limits would wipe out that identity. A world where every bottle looks the same is not what consumers want, and it is not what the PPWR was designed to achieve.
As the festive season approaches, we still hope the Commission might place a well-balanced and business-friendly Omnibus under the Christmas tree. Until then, we remain, as always, in good spirits.
