How Europe is killing makers and micro-entrepreneurs

# Summary The EU's new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), effective August 2026, requires producers to register and manage packaging waste separately in every EU member state where they sell, creating prohibitively high compliance costs for micro-entrepreneurs and makers. A Greek engineer selling just a handful of circuit boards across four countries would face approximately €1,150 in annual administrative and registration fees, making small-scale cross-border sales economically unfeasible and threatening an entire ecosystem of independent innovators, craftspeople, and micro-businesses across Europe.