Austria's packaging obligations flow from its Waste Management Act (AWG) and the Packaging Ordinance (Verpackungsverordnung). Producers must participate in a licensed dual system — the best known is ARA (Altstoff Recycling Austria) — which organises collection and recycling.
The steps
Register in the EDM register (Elektronisches Datenmanagement), Austria's official environmental data register, to obtain your producer identifier.
Contract with a dual system and license the packaging you place on the market by material and weight.
Report and pay on the required cycle (Austria uses more frequent reporting than some markets for larger volumes).
Foreign distance sellers
A common trap: foreign businesses selling into Austria via distance selling are frequently required to appoint an authorised representative established in Austria to carry the EPR obligations. Selling through a marketplace does not automatically discharge this.
Confirm the current registration, representative and reporting rules on the official EDM/ARA guidance.
