With growing global concerns about environmental protection, more and more countries and regions are intensifying regulations on e-commerce platforms, demanding that sellers assume greater environmental responsibilities. That is why EPR compliance has drawn significant attention. It can have an impact that affects whether or not the product can be sold properly.
So, what is EPR compliance? Are you feeling confused or uncertain about how to handle this challenge? Don’t worry, this article provides a detailed EPR compliance guide to ensure your products can successfully enter global markets.
What Is EPR?
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an environmental protection policy that requires product manufacturers or sellers to take charge of the entire life cycle of their products, from design, production, and use to recycling. This means that they are the ones who are responsible for the impact of their products on the environment, instead of consumers or governments.
It is designed to encourage producers to minimize the environmental footprint of their products at all stages. For example, design recyclable products, minimize resource consumption during production, reasonably optimize packaging to reduce waste, and provide effective recycling solutions after use.
For international sellers, achieving EPR compliance can be complicated. EPR regulations differ across various countries and regions, each with its own compliance requirements, documentation, and procedures. To simplify this process, VATAi serves as a one-stop service provider, offering an online EPR compliance portal. This portal will offer professional EPR services to help you with EPR registration, reporting, payments, and more, ensuring that your products meet local EPR regulations.
EPR Regulations & Policies in Europe
Europe has taken a leading role in addressing environmental concerns by implementing comprehensive EPR regulations across various industries. Common EPR regulations and policies in Europe include:
- Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive. Producers must take responsibility for their product’s packaging and packaging waste. This includes reducing excessive packaging, using recyclable materials, and ensuring that all packaging can be properly recycled.
- Textile EPR Scheme. The EU has issued relevant regulations for the financial and operational management of textile waste, requiring producers to be responsible for the entire life cycle of textiles, from environmentally friendly design in production to recycling, and reuse of waste after use. This aims to reduce the harm of textile waste to the environment.
- WEEE Directive. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive mandates that producers ensure proper recycling, treatment, and reuse of discarded electronic equipment to minimize the accumulation of e-waste.
- Battery Laws. The EU has very strict requirements for battery producer responsibility. Under the Battery Law, producers must be responsible for the recycling and environmental impact of batteries, especially the management of hazardous substances and the proper disposal of discarded batteries.
Important Reminder!
To comply with the latest EU battery regulations, Amazon will mandate sellers in the EU to complete the battery law registration in 8 countries – Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands, and Belgium and provide Amazon with the EPR registration number before August 18, 2025.
If you sell battery-containing products to EU consumers, it is highly recommended to keep an eye on battery law changes and complete your registration as early as possible to maintain EPR compliance.
Who Is Required to Apply for EPR Certification?
After understanding the specifics of the European EPR regulations and policies, you may want to know which businesses are required to apply for EPR certification.
Generally speaking, producers are the primary entities for EPR compliance in Europe. But note that the producer here is not just about the product manufacturer. If you are directly involved in the design, production, or sales process of a product in the EU market, you may be obligated to fulfill EPR requirements. Here is who is considered a producer:
- The product manufacturer, especially the companies that produce and sell products under their own brand.
- A private labeler or brand holder, that is, selling products produced by other manufacturers under its own brand (there is no manufacturer’s name or trademark on the product).
- An importer or cross-border e-commerce seller, when the goods are sold directly to European consumers, you will be considered a producer legally.
How to Comply with EPR?
If you want to sell products smoothly in the EU market, compliance with EPR regulations is essential. Let’s explore the specific steps for EPR compliance in the EU:
Step 1. Register for EPR in your target market country or region to obtain an EPR registration number. Then, upload the number to Amazon to prove EPR compliance.
Step 2. Within the required reporting period, report the quantity of various EPR product categories you sell to the relevant Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO).
Step 3. Pay the environmental recycling fees on time following local EPR regulations. These fees are usually calculated based on the product category, attributes, and the quantity or weight of the items sold.
In addition, please pay attention to the following considerations for achieving EPR compliance on Amazon:
- Ensure that the information used for EPR registration matches the details on your Amazon seller account to avoid unnecessary troubles caused by discrepancies.
- Submit sales reports on time and pay relevant environmental fees promptly to ensure that the EPR compliance process goes smoothly.
- Update contracts regularly to ensure that EPR registration is always active and avoids affecting the validity of EPR numbers due to contract expiration.
- Clarify how many EPR numbers need to be registered when selling different product categories in various countries or regions to avoid omissions or incorrect registrations.
How Does EPR Impact Your Business?
Prioritize EPR compliance in your business. It is a must-have for your success in the EU market. EPR has become a basic entry barrier for e-commerce sellers. Sellers who fail to provide a valid registration number will not only be banned from selling related products on OMP like Amazon but may also face the serious risk of goods being detained or even destroyed by customs.
Additionally, non-compliance with EPR can lead to severe legal consequences. While regulations vary between countries, there are generally high penalties for violations. Worse yet, regulatory authorities may even confiscate or destroy non-compliant products. Meanwhile, online sales platforms like Amazon will directly shut down your store, which can seriously damage your business operations and brand reputation.
Therefore, companies must attach great importance to EPR compliance and take proactive steps to complete registration, declaration, and payment to ensure that products comply with relevant regulations. This is not only a compliance requirement, but also an important step to maintain market competitiveness and establish an environmentally friendly brand image.
Final Words
This article is your guide to EPR compliance. We have explained what EPR means, explored what European regulations and policies are in place, and discussed who needs to apply for certification. Moreover, detailed steps to ensure EPR compliance are offered as well. There is no doubt that EPR compliance is not optional. Instead, it is a key passport for your business to continue to operate and thrive in the global marketplace, especially in the EU.
However, the ever-changing EPR regulations make the compliance process particularly complex. In this case, it is a good idea for businesses to consider seeking the assistance of a professional EPR service provider. VATAi boasts an experienced team that can accurately interpret regulatory changes and efficiently handle EPR compliance matters. Feel free to reach out to VATAi today for a free consultation.
