Navigating European Packaging Recycling: A Guide to Official Compliance Bodies

Navigating the European packaging compliance landscape is a critical, yet often complex, task for growing brands. With the recently applicable EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (Reg (EU) 2025/40) and individual national laws continuously evolving, understanding Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is mandatory for doing business across the continent. Under EPR rules, companies placing packaged goods on the market are financially and operationally responsible for that packaging’s entire life cycle.

Each country implements EPR differently, often through a system of national registers and Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs). Because ePac Flexible Packaging operates local production facilities and dedicated sales teams in the United Kingdom, France, Poland, Austria, and Spain, we have firsthand experience navigating these diverse requirements.

For brands exporting and scaling in these key markets, knowing the single primary official body responsible for household packaging compliance is essential. This guide streamlines that complexity, identifying the main regulatory or compliance leader in each of our core operating regions.

The United Kingdom

Primary Statutory Body: PackUK

Following the implementation of a new EPR system, the UK has centralised its approach to managing packaging waste costs. Enforcement is handled regionally by environmental agencies in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. However, the entire framework is administered centrally by PackUK.

Since January 2025, PackUK has operated as the statutory scheme administrator. This is the official government body responsible for setting the pEPR (producer EPR) fee rates and collecting these payments directly from producers. Additionally, UK Packaging PRO was formally appointed in March 2026 as the operational delivery partner to support producers alongside PackUK. For brands importing to or manufacturing in the UK, understanding and complying with PackUK’s reporting and fee structure is the mandatory primary step for EPR compliance.

France

Primary Eco-Organisation: CITEO

France maintains a rigorous and comprehensive EPR framework driven by the ambitious AGEC Law (Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy). The system, governed by the national environmental agency ADEME, strongly penalises non-recyclable materials while incentivising sustainable design.

For brands placing household packaged goods on the French market, registration with an approved eco-organisation (éco-organisme) is legally required. CITEO is by far the most dominant and well-established non-profit organisation managing household packaging waste. While other material-specific or smaller schemes exist, CITEO serves as the primary and most significant compliance contact for the majority of consumer brands operating in France.

Spain

Primary Compliance System: Ecoembes

Spain’s packaging EPR framework is governed by Royal Decree 1055/2022, with EPR obligations recently extended to commercial and industrial packaging (2025), overseen by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO).

Compliance in Spain is managed through Collective Extended Producer Responsibility Systems, known as SCRAPs. Ecoembes is the primary SCRAP system for lightweight packaging, which includes plastics, paper, and cardboard (typically sorted into the yellow and blue bins). For brands selling consumer products in Spain, Ecoembes is the essential and leading organisation for managing recovery, sorting, and recycling obligations, and is the central contact for achieving compliance for most flexible packaging formats.

The DACH Region (Austria, with Context for Germany and Switzerland)

Please note: ePac operates locally in Austria, but we regularly support brands distributing throughout the broader DACH region and have included contextual information for Germany and Switzerland for export transparency.

Austria (ePac Operating Region)

Primary Organisation: Altstoff Recycling Austria (ARA) The Austrian packaging compliance system is governed by the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK). Compliance and waste management are executed through authorised PROs.

Altstoff Recycling Austria, known as ARA, is the nation’s oldest, largest, and most recognised packaging compliance scheme. ARA manages both household and commercial packaging recovery on a national scale. For any company placing packaged products on the Austrian market, ARA is the single most critical official body for managing EPR obligations and ensuring full regulatory compliance.

Germany (Export Context)

Primary Mandatory Register: LUCID (Central Agency Packaging Register – ZSVR) Germany operates a highly scrutinised, dual-layer system. For producers, the mandatory first step is direct engagement with the Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR), known publicly as LUCID. Every company shipping packaged goods to German consumers must register on this digital database; selling without a LUCID registration number is strictly prohibited. While physical compliance is fulfilled through contracting with one of Germany’s competing commercial “Dual Systems”, the ZSVR via LUCID is the primary mandatory regulatory authority that all producers must interact with.

Switzerland (Export Context)

Primary Umbrella Organisation: Swiss Recycling Switzerland, not being bound by EU directives, implements its own approach, overseen by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). Instead of a rigid state-mandated EPR system, Switzerland relies on efficient, material-specific voluntary systems. Swiss Recycling acts as the essential umbrella organisation, coordinating the high-performing collection systems across the nation. While material-specific bodies exist, Swiss Recycling is the central leader for understanding the broader Swiss approach to packaging waste management.

Poland

Primary Recovery Organisation: Rekopol

Poland’s EPR system is centralised and requires meticulous, ongoing data reporting. While mandatory registration is fulfilled through the national Database on Products and Packaging and Waste Management (BDO), actual recovery and recycling compliance is typically managed through authorised organisations.

Rekopol is the leading packaging recovery organisation operating in Poland. Following a unique “profit not for distribution” model, Rekopol reinvests all generated income into developing selective waste collection systems and sustainability initiatives nationwide. They work closely with local authorities to help businesses meet statutory recycling and recovery targets. For brands introducing packaged products to Poland, Rekopol is the clear and dominant official body for managing EPR compliance.

Ready to Streamline Your European Packaging Strategy?

Navigating the single main compliance contact per country is a significant first step, but future-proofing your business means aligning your packaging materials with these evolving standards. The material you choose for your packaging directly impacts your modulated EPR fees and overall operational costs in these key European markets.

At ePac Flexible Packaging, we specialise in helping brands transition to sustainable, EPR-friendly materials. Our fully recyclable PE-based Doypacks and rollstock are specifically designed to support the circular economy and ease your compliance burden with organisations like PackUK, CITEO, Ecoembes, ARA, and Rekopol. Plus, our 100% digital process allows for fast iterations and low minimums, helping you test compliant packaging formats quickly.

Note: Packaging compliance regulations across Europe are evolving rapidly. The information provided in this guide is current as of Q4 2026. Brands should always consult with the specific primary PRO in their operating region or their legal advisors to ensure full compliance with the latest regional mandates.