September 9, 2026
IMFA Launches European Regulation Tracker as New Rules Reshape the Molded Fiber Market
Member-only resource centralizes 46 regulations across the European Union and 11 countries, helping companies anticipate changes affecting products, operations and market access.
With major European packaging and deforestation regulations beginning to apply and country-level requirements continuing to evolve, the International Molded Fiber Association (IMFA) has launched a European Regulation Tracker to help member companies understand the policy changes that could affect their products, operations and access to the European market.
This member-exclusive resource consolidates information on 46 regulations spanning the European Union and 11 individual countries. By bringing those developments together in one place, the tracker gives molded fiber companies a clearer view of a regulatory landscape that would otherwise require monitoring numerous jurisdictions and sources.
Its launch comes at a consequential moment for companies serving Europe. The European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) began applying on August 12, 2026, introducing requirements that will continue to take effect over several years. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which covers wood and certain derived products, begins applying to many operators on December 30, 2026.
The implications are not limited to companies headquartered in Europe. Molded fiber manufacturers, suppliers, and other businesses serving European customers may need to evaluate how changing requirements affect product design, materials, labeling, documentation, and supply-chain information.
“Regulatory change is shaping business decisions long before a compliance deadline arrives,” said Gary Visser, IMFA Executive Chairman. “For an industry with global customers and supply chains, visibility matters. This tracker gives our members a clearer view of what is changing so they can assess the implications earlier, prepare their teams, and make more informed decisions about the markets they serve.”
The tracker is designed to provide a central starting point for understanding the policies affecting molded fiber, while helping members identify developments that may require closer evaluation with their own technical, regulatory, or legal teams.
“Companies are not dealing with one European rule in isolation. They are navigating EU-wide frameworks alongside country-specific requirements, implementation timelines and continuing guidance,” said Tom Hendrickson, IMFA Industry Affairs Manager. “We developed the tracker to bring that larger picture together and make it easier for members to identify the developments most relevant to their businesses.”
The resource will also support IMFA’s broader advocacy efforts. Greater visibility into emerging policy issues can help the association recognize shared industry concerns earlier, coordinate member input, and determine where the molded fiber industry needs greater clarity or representation.
The tracker represents the next stage in the growth of IMFA’s Industry Affairs Program. Over the past 18 months, the association has expanded beyond regulatory updates to provide ongoing policy intelligence, technical resources, and direct engagement on issues that could affect how molded fiber products are classified, labeled, and brought to market.
That work has already produced results. In 2025, IMFA’s advocacy contributed to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s decision to classify uncoated molded fiber packaging as recyclable and compostable under the state’s packaging stewardship program.
The association is now applying that same evidence-based approach in California, where implementing SB 343 could prevent molded fiber products from carrying recyclability labeling. IMFA is working with GreenBlue and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition to gather information on how molded fiber is sorted at California materials recovery facilities and to address gaps in the data used to evaluate its recyclability.
IMFA has also supported the federal Packaging and Claims Knowledge (PACK) Act, advocated for broader recognition of compostability certifiers in Minnesota, and raised the molded fiber industry’s tariff concerns with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Together with IMFA’s American Legislation Tracker, monthly Industry Affairs newsletters and policy memos addressing regulations such as PPWR and California’s SB 343, the new European Regulation Tracker gives members a growing collection of resources for understanding and responding to regulatory change.
“The regulatory landscape will continue to evolve, and so will this program,” Hendrickson added. “Our goal is to help members understand what is ahead while strengthening the industry’s ability to respond collectively when molded fiber’s interests are at stake.”
To learn more about IMFA membership and the association’s Industry Affairs Program, visit https://www.imfa.org/industryaffairs/