Packaging Act stipulates packaging as all products made of any materials of any nature to be used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery and presentation of goods, from raw materials to processed goods, from the producer to the user or the consumer. Non-returnable items used for the same purpose are also considered to constitute packaging.
The types of packaging material are the following:
1) glass means all fused inorganic glass types which belong to Chapter 70 of the Combined Nomenclature pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff (OJ L 256, 7.9.1987, p. 1–675);
2) plastic means all natural and artificial polymer-based materials in both single and multi-layer embodiment which belong to Chapter 39 of the Combined Nomenclature pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87;
3) metal means steel which belongs to Chapter 73 of the Combined Nomenclature, aluminium which belongs to Chapter 76 of the Combined Nomenclature, and other metals which are used as packaging materials and belong to Section XV (Base metals and articles of base metal) of the Combined Nomenclature pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87;
4) paper and paperboard, including composite paperboard, which belong to Chapter 48 of the Combined Nomenclature pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87;
5) wood;
6) other material.
Classes of packaging:
1) sales packaging or primary packaging means part of a sales unit designated to be handed over to the end user or consumer at the place of sale.
2) grouped packaging or secondary packaging is meant for grouping a certain number of sales units at the place of sale regardless of whether the grouped packaging is sold as such to the end user or consumer or whether it serves only as a means to facilitate the handling of goods, or protection or presentation of goods, whereas grouped packaging can be removed from the product without affecting its characteristics;
3) transport packaging or tertiary packaging is meant for handling and transport of a certain number of sales units or goods in grouped packagings in order to prevent transport damage, whereas transport packaging does not include road, rail, sea and air containers.
Depending on the possibility to reuse packaging, the subclasses of packaging are as follows:
1) reusable packaging is intended and designed to pass at least several rotations or circles in the reuse system during its life cycle, depending on the intended use, possibility and fitness for use of the packaging;
2) non-reusable packaging is meant only for single use.