ESG News & Updates

Omnibus VIII: the EU Council wants faster environmental assessments. What it means for companies, PPWR and EPR

The EU Council set its position to speed up environmental assessments (Omnibus VIII). See what changes and what it means for PPWR and EPR.

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Luana Copaci

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October 2, 2026

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On 30 September 2026, the Council of the EU set the position of Member States on a proposal to simplify and speed up environmental assessments. The proposal is part of the simplification package called Omnibus VIII. The stated goal is to reduce unnecessary costs and administrative burden, without lowering EU standards for environmental protection.

What Omnibus VIII is

Omnibus VIII is a package of measures that amends six EU legal acts. Among them are:

  1. A regulation on speeding up environmental assessments.
  2. A regulation and a directive on simplification and reduction of administrative burden.
  3. An amendment to the INSPIRE directive, on spatial information infrastructure.
  4. A regulation and a directive suspending the application of the rules on appointing an authorised representative for extended producer responsibility (EPR).

The European Commission proposed the regulation on environmental assessments on 10 December 2025. The Council position of 30 September completes positions already agreed in June 2026 for other parts of the package.

What the Council decided on environmental assessments

The main elements of the Council position are:

  1. An exhaustive list of strategic projects, which will benefit from a new toolbox and accelerated procedures. Lawmakers can add other types of projects later, by referring to this regulation.
  2. Simplification of as many sectoral permitting provisions as possible, including some from the Net Zero Industry Act, the Chips Act and the Critical Raw Materials Act.
  3. Longer time limits than those proposed by the Commission, so that competent authorities can complete all the steps required by law.
  4. An amended provision on substantial preclusion, to fully respect the Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters.
  5. An extended provision on the Habitats and Birds Directives, covering well defined recurring activities such as forestry and watercourse maintenance, with extra safeguards for animal and plant populations.
  6. A flexible single point of contact, especially for countries with decentralised administrations, but without fragmentation between existing or future single points of contact.

In practice, the direction is clear: more predictable, more digital procedures with better controlled timelines for project developers.

What it means for EPR and PPWR

The press release mentions two points that matter for packaging producers:

  1. The Omnibus VIII package includes a proposal to suspend the rules on appointing an authorised representative for EPR. The 30 September release gives no detail on this part, so it should not be treated as a final decision.
  2. Member States agreed that a targeted solution should be explored for EPR obligations under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), because of a possible disproportionate burden on small packaging producers. This is an intention to look for a solution, not an adopted solution.

Please note: simplifying environmental assessments does not change your PPWR obligations. The regulation applies from 12 August 2026, and the requirements on recyclability, recycled content and EPR remain in force.

What happens next

Negotiations with the European Parliament will start once the Parliament adopts its own position. The Irish presidency of the Council is aiming for an agreement with the Parliament by the end of the year. The "One Europe, One Market" roadmap sets the goal of finishing all simplification packages by the end of 2027. The final text may change.

What you can do now

  1. Follow the progress of Omnibus VIII, especially if you have projects that need environmental assessments or permits.
  2. If you place packaging on the market, do not delay your PPWR and EPR preparation. A possible future simplification does not change today's obligations.
  3. Check whether you are a small packaging producer and what EPR obligations you have in each country where you sell.
  4. Keep your documentation on quantities, materials and your authorised representative, if you have one.

How ECONOS can help

ECONOS helps you separate what is already mandatory from what is still under negotiation. We analyse your exposure to PPWR and EPR, support your registration and reporting, and train your team to manage compliance over the long term.

Contact us for a discussion about your environmental and packaging obligations. An ECONOS expert will reply as soon as possible.

Find out more about the consultation here: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/09/30/simplification-council-agrees-negotiating-stance-to-fast-track-environmental-assessments/