AI Weekly Malaysia

Alain Pannetrat of Lectronz, a marketplace for open-source hardware makers, argues that the EU's new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), effective August 12, 2026, forces micro-entrepreneurs to register and pay for packaging waste compliance separately in every Member State where they ship. A maker selling a handful of €25 boards across four EU countries could face €110/year registration plus €190-300/year for an authorised representative in France alone, before counting other countries' costs.

Why: Malaysian founders or makers shipping physical products (hardware, crafts, electronics) into the EU now face per-country EPR registration and compliance costs that can exceed the revenue from a few small sales. If you sell any physical goods to EU customers, factor these recurring compliance costs into pricing or consider limiting EU destinations until you have enough volume to justify the overhead.