Do you want total bureaucracy? EU Packaging Regulation
It seems easier to personally deliver a book to a customer in Hamburg.
Grok: Yeah, exactly—dropping it off in person is definitely less stressful in this case.
Me: In 2013, when I had my second book printed, I bought a lot of shipping boxes for DIN A5 books.
If I were to send my book—which still has 1,400 pages—in a box like that to Germany, would that be okay?
Grok: Yes, you can generally continue to use the old DIN A5 shipping boxes from 2013 to send books to Germany.
Why this is possible
What matters is the date of placing on the market, not the date of manufacture or purchase. The empty cartons were first made available on the EU market by the manufacturer or supplier back in 2013, when you purchased them. Packaging that was already placed on the market before August 12, 2026, is grandfathered and may continue to be used and distributed—even if it does not meet all the new PPWR requirements.
reutlingen.ihk.de
According to clarifications from the European Commission (FAQ from August 2026), such existing stock does not need to be destroyed, modified, or relabeled. Identification requirements (e.g., manufacturer information) can be met, if necessary, through accompanying documents.
What Will Be Relevant (and What Won't) Starting August 12, 2026
For standard corrugated shipping boxes (transport/e-commerce packaging for books), the strictest new design rules (recyclability grades A–C, high recycled content percentages, a maximum void ratio of 50%, etc.) will not take effect until later—primarily starting in 2030. The PFAS restrictions apply only to food-contact packaging anyway and do not affect your boxes.
The traditional substance restrictions (e.g., heavy metals) were already in place and remain relevant.
Important practical tips for you
System Participation / EPR in Germany: When you ship filled packages to end customers in Germany, you are placing the packaging (cardboard box, any packing material, and adhesive tape) on the market there. You remain subject (or, under the new rules, are subject to) the registration and participation requirements (e.g., via LUCID and a dual system or the successor regulations). This applies regardless of the age of the cardboard boxes.
You must report and license the quantities of what you actually ship.
In the case of very large remaining inventories (1,400 units), it is worth keeping track of the exact origin and, if applicable, the cardboard manufacturer’s previous participation in the system, in case proof is required.
In short: You can continue to reuse the old cardboard boxes. The system does not require you to throw them away. However, be sure to comply with the applicable EPR and licensing requirements when shipping to Germany. If you’re unsure about your specific situation (e.g., whether you’re eligible for exemptions as a small business owner), we recommend checking with the relevant authority (ZSVR in Germany) or a packaging consultant.
Me: It seems easier to personally deliver a book to a customer in Hamburg.
Grok: Yeah, exactly—dropping it off in person is definitely less stressful in this case.
If you simply hand the book to the customer in Hamburg (without a shipping box or just using a simple bag or paper bag), you can largely avoid all the hassle associated with placing transport packaging on the market, participating in a recycling system, and complying with the PPWR regulations. In that case, you are not “placing packaging on the market” as defined by the regulation.
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Out of touch with reality and completely out of touch
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Open a new website? Curse the EU because you have to click away a “Allow Cookies” message.
Opening a drink? Cursing the EU because the lid gets in the way when you're drinking—or worse, because the vibrations from twisting it cause a few drops to splash onto your clothes.
A message on a retailer's website saying, “Shipping to your country is not available”? Cursing the EU because shipping to other countries has suddenly become much more complicated and expensive than it was before the EU.
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Looking for Home Renovation Projects
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I've already got 4 projects. They're spread out quite a bit: Burgenland, the Elbe, Bremen, Switzerland. I'd love to take on more projects.
The wall heater's electronics: a power supply, a PWM controller for the fans, and a microcomputer with Wi-Fi and Zigbee for control.
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Who are we? Our shareholders
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Who are we? Our shareholders. I ask all existing shareholders—and, hopefully, many new ones soon—to contribute posts like this.
So far, only 2% of our shareholders have become shareholders themselves by referring new shareholders. That number should increase significantly in the future. The offer is 10% of the purchased shares for a direct referral and 5% for an “assist.” I understand the term “assist” in the same way as in soccer: whoever passes the ball to the goal scorer has made an assist. |
Grok: Yes, you can generally continue to use the old DIN A5 shipping boxes from 2013 to send books to Germany.
Why this is possible
What matters is the date of placing on the market, not the date of manufacture or purchase. The empty cartons were first made available on the EU market by the manufacturer or supplier back in 2013, when you purchased them. Packaging that was already placed on the market before August 12, 2026, is grandfathered and may continue to be used and distributed—even if it does not meet all the new PPWR requirements.
reutlingen.ihk.de
According to clarifications from the European Commission (FAQ from August 2026), such existing stock does not need to be destroyed, modified, or relabeled. Identification requirements (e.g., manufacturer information) can be met, if necessary, through accompanying documents.
What Will Be Relevant (and What Won't) Starting August 12, 2026
For standard corrugated shipping boxes (transport/e-commerce packaging for books), the strictest new design rules (recyclability grades A–C, high recycled content percentages, a maximum void ratio of 50%, etc.) will not take effect until later—primarily starting in 2030. The PFAS restrictions apply only to food-contact packaging anyway and do not affect your boxes.
The traditional substance restrictions (e.g., heavy metals) were already in place and remain relevant.
Important practical tips for you
System Participation / EPR in Germany: When you ship filled packages to end customers in Germany, you are placing the packaging (cardboard box, any packing material, and adhesive tape) on the market there. You remain subject (or, under the new rules, are subject to) the registration and participation requirements (e.g., via LUCID and a dual system or the successor regulations). This applies regardless of the age of the cardboard boxes.
You must report and license the quantities of what you actually ship.
In the case of very large remaining inventories (1,400 units), it is worth keeping track of the exact origin and, if applicable, the cardboard manufacturer’s previous participation in the system, in case proof is required.
In short: You can continue to reuse the old cardboard boxes. The system does not require you to throw them away. However, be sure to comply with the applicable EPR and licensing requirements when shipping to Germany. If you’re unsure about your specific situation (e.g., whether you’re eligible for exemptions as a small business owner), we recommend checking with the relevant authority (ZSVR in Germany) or a packaging consultant.
Me: It seems easier to personally deliver a book to a customer in Hamburg.
Grok: Yeah, exactly—dropping it off in person is definitely less stressful in this case.
If you simply hand the book to the customer in Hamburg (without a shipping box or just using a simple bag or paper bag), you can largely avoid all the hassle associated with placing transport packaging on the market, participating in a recycling system, and complying with the PPWR regulations. In that case, you are not “placing packaging on the market” as defined by the regulation.
