Zhongbao Lian and Austria PCG reach strategic cooperation intention
Recently, under the organizational leadership of the China Packaging Federation (hereinafter referred to as CPF), the CPF Circular Economy Professional Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "Circular Committee") has been actively coordinating and facilitating the entire process. On December 1, 2025, the CPF formally signed a Letter of Intent with Austria Packaging Leaders GmbH (PCG), focusing on the field of sustainable packaging to initiate in-depth cooperation, injecting new momentum into Chinese packaging enterprises' international expansion and the mutual recognition of global standards.
As a national-level packaging industry association, CPF has been deeply engaged in the industry for over 40 years and represents China in international exchanges and connections in the field of circular economy, including WPO and APF. PCG is the developer of the "Packaging Leaders" recyclability assessment system (PCG SAS), and the Green Deal Packaging Framework (GDPF) it leads has become a core reference for packaging compliance in Europe, with significant technical and resource advantages. Based on complementary strengths and shared development vision, this cooperation will focus on four core areas, using practical measures to empower Chinese enterprises. Among them, the CPF Circular Committee undertakes the responsibility of promoting green industry development, organizing domestic enterprises to actively participate in building China's green packaging circular standards system.
The four core areas are as follows:
1. Law and Standard Alignment: Conduct an in-depth comparison of Chinese and foreign packaging regulatory frameworks, with a focus on interpreting the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The Circular Committee will organize specialized briefing sessions to help enterprises accurately understand compliance requirements.
2. Joint Assessment System Development: Jointly develop sustainable assessment tools suitable for Chinese enterprises, sharing technologies such as recyclability assessment and lifecycle assessment (LCA) to enhance enterprises' green design capabilities.
3. Implementation of Responsibility System: Promote extended producer responsibility (EPR) and producer responsibility organization (PRO) construction. The Circular Committee will lead the development of industry implementation guidelines to improve the governance system.
4. Data and Supply Chain Upgrades: Establish packaging data management standards. The Circular Committee will coordinate connections between Chinese packaging manufacturers, fast-moving consumer goods suppliers, and European clients to enhance cross-border data transparency.
Currently, global green trade barriers are increasingly prominent. Regulations such as the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) impose strict requirements on packaging recyclability, data traceability, environmental responsibility, and more, posing significant challenges for Chinese enterprises going abroad. This cooperation directly addresses these pain points: on one hand, it will deeply align with the EU PPWR, helping enterprises clarify European market data requirements and compliance standards through member-exclusive seminars and technical training, improving product recyclability and opening up a "compliance channel" for going global; on the other hand, it will promote key industry standards in China that adapt to local industrial practices while adopting an international perspective, achieving mutual recognition with European standards, sharing assessment methods and practical experiences, helping Chinese standards go global, and reducing cross-border trade costs for enterprises.
Dr. Ernst Kroetendorfer, General Manager and Managing Partner of Packaging Consultant Group (PCG), delivered a keynote speech on 'Responding to New EU Packaging Regulations and Digital Transformation' at the '2025 Green Packaging Sustainable Technology Forum.'
China Packaging Federation will actively encourage its member companies to engage in comprehensive collaboration with PCG. The Recycling Committee of the China Packaging Federation will serve as the core executive unit for implementing the collaboration, actively promoting and coordinating member company engagement, integrating the strengths and resources of both parties, and helping companies seize opportunities and tackle challenges amid globalization.
Green Way (Tianjin) Technology Co., Ltd. is responsible for the overall project setup and translation work, supporting Chinese companies and products in their green transformation and building a bridge for going global.
Looking ahead, China Packaging Federation will take this cooperation as an opportunity to continuously build international cooperation bridges, promote the Chinese packaging industry's transition towards greener, digital, and international development, safeguard Chinese companies going global, and contribute Chinese wisdom and solutions to the sustainable development of the global packaging industry!