SMEs ministry pledges support for exporters facing EU packaging rules

South Korea's SMEs ministry said Tuesday it will expand cost support, training and one-on-one counselling for small exporters facing the European Union's packaging regulation, after companies told officials that testing bills and English-language paperwork were their biggest obstacles.

The PPWR sets limits on hazardous substances in packaging — heavy metals and PFAS in food-contact materials — and requires companies to draw up technical documentation and an EU declaration of conformity. Recyclability and recycled-content requirements follow from 2030. The rules cover packaging for any product placed on the EU market, and non-EU companies are not exempt.

At a meeting in Seoul chaired by Shim Jae-yoon, the ministry's global growth policy director, representatives of beauty, food and packaging companies and industry experts told officials they struggle to obtain information on hazardous substances from packaging suppliers, and face testing costs for each product line as well as the burden of preparing technical documents and declarations in English.

"PPWR has become a requirement for entering the European market, going beyond a simple environmental regulation," Shim said at the meeting. "We will strengthen cost support and training and counselling based on what we hear from the field so that our small companies do not see exports disrupted by packaging rules."

The ministry has since April run a pilot programme covering the full compliance chain — training and diagnosis, testing and evaluation, drafting technical documents and appointing an EU representative — for around 100 small companies, with each receiving up to 7 million won ($5,255), capped at 70 percent of total costs.

A separate export-certification scheme now includes PPWR among its priority areas, covering 50 to 70 percent of certification, testing and consulting costs up to 100 million won ($75,069) per company. The rate depends on prior-year revenue: 70 percent for companies below 10 billion won ($7.51 million), 60 percent below 30 billion won ($22.5 million) and 50 percent above that. Eligible applicants are small firms with less than $50 million in direct exports the previous year.

Companies seeking support can apply through the certification programme, which accepts applications until Nov. 30. The ministry will also hold training and counselling sessions on PPWR compliance in five regions nationwide from Nov. 16 to 25, with one-on-one expert consultations.