The paperwork behind your labels matters more than it used to. Here is what to ask for, and what each document actually claims.
If you sell into the European Union, a date is coming up fast. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation applies from August 12, 2026, replacing a packaging directive that had been in place since 1994. Unlike a directive, a regulation applies directly in all 27 member states with no national transposition, so the same rules land everywhere at once. (European Commission)
That deadline is one reason compliance questions are showing up earlier in the buying conversation than they used to. Quality and regulatory teams now want documentation before an order is placed, not after an audit finds a gap.
Here are the six documents we keep current at SixB Labels, what each one covers, and how to read them.