24-hour hotline : 23 922 922
e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk
Ref. : EIC 230/2/11
29 September 2025
Dear Sirs,
The European Parliament and the Council of the EU adopted Directive (EU) 2025/1892 to amend Directive 2008/98/EC on waste as regards establishment of extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for producers of textile, textile-related and footwear products and introduction of food waste reduction targets. Directive (EU) 2025/1892 was published on 26 September 2025 and can be accessed through the following link: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202501892.
2.The Directive requires EU Member States to establish EPR schemes for producers that make available textile, textile-related and footwear products within the EU for the first time by 17 April 2028. Through the EPR schemes, producers will finance the costs of waste management of the textile, textile-related and footwear products placed on the EU market, as well as unsold products considered to be waste that were supplied within the EU, based on parameters such as weight, circularity and environmental performance. Micro enterprises will have an extra year to comply with the EPR schemes, with the relevant requirements applicable from 17 April 2029.
3.In addition, the Directive lays down measures to prevent the generation of food waste along the entire food supply chain that EU Member States shall take to achieve the food waste reduction targets at national level by 31 December 2030. The Directive will enter into force on 16 October 2025.
4.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at 2398 5684.
Yours faithfully,
(Miss Jenny MOK)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry
* The EU comprises 27 member countries, namely, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
| Note 1: | While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same. |
| Note 2: | "Regulatory Alert - EU" of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council provides up-to-date information on the latest developments in EU trade policy and trade regulations. It is available at: https://research.hktdc.com/en/regulatory-alerts/eu. |