Recently, much research has been directed to the production of active food packaging by using materials that present antimicrobial and/or antioxidant characteristics. The use of polymeric films as carriers of such agents allows a progressive release of the compound on the surface of the product, thereby improving antimicrobial efficacy and enhancing food safety and quality throughout the storage. Natural antimicrobial agents such as essential oils include extracts from several plants, such as cinnamon oil, clove, thyme, rosemary and oregano. In this study, the incorporation of oregano essential oil (OEO) into poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) - PHBV films by melt blending is presented. In addition, three different clays (halloysite (Hal), kaolinite (Kaol), and sepiolite (Sep)) were added to the films in order to study the synergy between the additives on the improvement of barrier and antimicrobial properties of the systems. Four samples were prepared and evaluated by their physical and antimicrobial properties: PHBV, PHBV/Hal/OEO; PHBV/Kaol/OEO, and PHBV/Sep/OEO. The antimicrobial activity of PHBV/nanoclay/OEO films against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were determined by the disk inhibition zone method. Thermal properties (TGA and DSC) and oxygen permeability (OP) were also determined. Films with OEO effectively inhibited the microorganisms tested and demonstrated improved barrier properties. Thermal analysis demonstrated that the addition of nanoclays and OEO affected the thermal stability of the films and increased crystallinity of the films. In conclusion, PHBV-based nanocomposite films containing OEO might be suitable to apply as an active packaging material to maintain the food quality and extend its shelf life. Acknowledgment: The authors are grateful to CNPq and CAPES/FAPESC for financial support.