There is no single "EU EPR registration". Each member state runs its own packaging scheme, with its own register, portal, fee model and reporting calendar. If you sell packaged goods into several EU countries, you register in each one separately. This guide maps the landscape so you can plan.
The big schemes you will meet first
- Germany — LUCID / ZSVR. Register in the LUCID packaging register and contract with a dual system. Amazon.de checks the LUCID number.
- France — ADEME / Citeo. You need a unique identifier (UIN) per product category and a producer responsibility organisation.
- Italy — CONAI. Membership plus the environmental contribution on packaging materials.
- Spain — Ecoembes / Ecovidrio and the national producer register.
The Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Belgium and the rest each add their own register. The pattern repeats: identify the local scheme, register the legal entity that imports, then report volumes and pay fees.
How registration works, step by step
- Identify the obligated entity. This is usually the importer of record — the legal entity placing goods on that market.
- Register in the national producer register and, where required, appoint a local authorised representative.
- Join a compliance scheme (PRO) that handles the recycling of your packaging.
- Report packaging placed on the market by material and weight, on the scheme's schedule.
Common mistakes
- Assuming one country's number works EU-wide — it does not.
- Forgetting that Amazon storage in a country can trigger an obligation there.
- Leaving Amazon to Pay-on-Behalf, which usually costs more than self-registration.
Estimate your fees before you commit with the free Packaging EPR Calculator, and see how rates differ in our EPR fee transparency page.
Scheme names, thresholds and fees change over time. Confirm the current requirements with each national scheme before registering.