A new EU regulation, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), is set to threaten the entire independent music ecosystem - making direct-to-consumer sales financially unsustainable for small labels and artists, even for those only selling into the EU.

It’s a remarkable feat: an environmental law that will do more to destroy independent culture than champion sustainability.

The mission of the regulation is entirely fair, aimed at cutting packaging waste, making goods more designed for recycling, and eliminating harmful chemicals – yet its muddy and expensive execution means small artists will be caught up, stuck in trying to appease what the EU is requiring.

Bear with me as I explain: this new regulation considers independent sellers as “producers”, with compliance requiring hiring an Authorised Representative in every single EU country. Annual fees to hire and sell across the EU can total €16,000 across all 27 member states, and there is no minimum threshold or exemption for smaller businesses. That cost is the same for Amazon as it is for a musician selling their music through online selling platforms like Bandcamp or Discogs.

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