Legally compliant packaging licensing throughout Europe
Do you sell your products to European countries outside Germany? Internationally operating companies must fulfil their take-back obligations in accordance with the legislation in force in the respective country.
One Europe, many laws. Transposition of the EU Packaging Directive 94/62/EC varies from country to country, so you need to observe the respective national legal frameworks for both packaging licensing and recycling.
We help you keep track of the various systems and ensure that you stay legally compliant with packaging requirements throughout Europe and take over the complete processing for you. You simply authorise us to handle everything on your behalf: Following a free compliance check, we then take care of your EPR registration, for example, plus packaging licensing, data reporting and all of the communication needed with the foreign systems.
In addition, we check all incoming invoices from the licensing systems for you and forward them for payment. To ensure that you always meet your obligations in accordance with the law, we monitor possible changes to the licensing obligations and keep you up to date. We are also happy to advise you on packaging labelling, which is mandatory in some countries.
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Our experts will contact you shortly. You are also welcome to contact us directly via europe@interseroh.com.
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We are the experts on the subject of the EU Packaging Regulation. You have only one service provider for up to 30 countries in Europe and you do not need to worry about the respective national packaging laws, capacities, expertise, linguistic complications or misinterpretations. Even the threat of sanctions is no longer an issue.
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Frequently asked questions about European packaging licensing
- What is covered by the EU Packaging Directive?
The EU Packaging Directive implements the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR) across the EU by addressing the correct collecting, sorting and recycling of packaging, with the aim of ensuring this is better handled in the loop. A single union, many laws: transposition of the EU Packaging Directive 94/62/EC is highly complex and varies from country to country, which means you need to observe the respective national legal frameworks for both packaging licensing and recycling. Distributors must therefore check to confirm their packaging licensing duties for each country individually. We offer a free compliance check service for your organisation.
- Must packaging be licensed in Europe according to the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR)?
As an “initial distributor” (or importer) in the respective country, the national packaging laws and regulations for that country will require you to participate in a system that handles the correct collection, sorting and recycling of your packaging. All of your quantities must be registered and licensed accordingly.
- How are the licensing fees calculated in each country?
The fees for packaging licensing differ from country to country, and are primarily based on the type of packaging (domestic or commercial packaging) and the quantity of packaging to be licensed. The price also reflects the type of material involved: paper, paperboard and cardboard (PPC) is much less expensive than plastic per kg, for example.
- Is there a minimum quantity rule for licensing?
Practice differs from country to country in Europe. Some countries do apply quantity thresholds or other kinds of de minimis limits and requirements. As a result, you may be partially or wholly exempt from licensing if you do not exceed the quantity threshold or meet the requirements.
- Is there a uniform labelling requirement for packaging in Europe?
So far, three European countries have passed legislation requiring packaging labelling: Bulgaria, France and Italy. Typically, labelling legislation only affects packaging that is supplied to private consumers. One exception is Italy, where packaging supplied to commercial consumers must also be labelled in accordance with legal requirements.
Bulgaria: The use of Mobius loop and the so-called "tidy man" is voluntary, the indication of the alphanumeric code is mandatory
France: Triman logo consisting of the “Triman”, the packaging and disposal pictogram
Italy: Mobius loop with alphanumeric code and the “tidy man” Packaging destined for private households (B2C) must be labelled with information about separate waste collection provided in Italian.
We will be happy to advise you in detail on your corresponding labelling duties and discuss how your packaging should be printed to ensure compliance.
- For which country do I need an authorised representative?
In Portugal, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Slovenia and Austria, companies without a registered office in these countries need to appoint an authorised representative tasked with taking care of their licensing obligations. We can also handle the appointment of your authorised representative.
- Why do marketplaces in France and Austria require an EPR number from their sellers and what role does the verification requirement play?
In France and Austria, marketplaces such as Amazon are subject to certain legal requirements that make increased verification of sellers necessary. The EPR number plays a central role in this. This number serves as proof that the seller fulfils their legal obligations with regard to recycling and environmental protection.
The obligation to provide evidence aims to ensure that products are properly recycled and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. By verifying the EPR number, marketplaces ensure that their sellers comply with environmental regulations and thus promote sustainable trade.
For online retailers, this means that they must prove their environmental responsibility in order to be active on these marketplaces. The EPR number is therefore not only a regulatory requirement, but also a tool to raise awareness of environmental protection in e-commerce.
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Europe-wide packaging licensing
