French EPR: the questions sellers outside France ask
Direct answer: Ten questions on French extended producer responsibility, answered from the public texts and the eco-organisations' public pages, for a seller established outside France. None of them decides a case: it is you who determine whether your situation falls under the law and which schemes concern your products.
For the long version: the reference page. For a term: the glossary. For your marketplace or your country: guides and pages by country.
If you need a representative established in France
FrenchEPR is written by REP·Pro, an authorised representative (mandataire REP) based in Béziers. Its self-service plan registers a producer with the eco-organisation of each scheme chosen, obtains the identifier and files the declarations: one scheme €29 a month on a 12-month plan, no setup fee; up to three schemes €59; up to six €89; beyond 6 categories, monthly billing only. Eco-contributions invoiced by the eco-organisations are separate. Published prices · Appoint a representative.
FAQ
Am I a producer under French law if I sell from abroad?
The texts attach the status to the first placing of a product on the French market, wherever the seller is established. Whether your flows meet that definition is a determination you make from the texts; the reference page gives the criteria.
How many schemes exist?
More than twenty, each with its own registration and identifier: packaging, electrical equipment, textiles, furniture, toys, sports goods, DIY goods, batteries, paper, tyres, vehicles, building products, chemicals, lubricants and others.
What is the number marketplaces ask for?
The French identifier (IDU), FRxxxxxx_xx, one per scheme, issued by ADEME through the eco-organisation after registration; Amazon calls it UIN.
Which eco-organisation should I choose?
Any eco-organisation approved for the scheme; read their public scales and services. FrenchEPR does not recommend one over another.
Do I need a representative established in France?
A producer without establishment in France appoints one under article L. 541-10-9-1, except where someone established in France already carries its obligations; for an EU-established producer the representative is an option as we read the texts. It is you who determine your case.
Who pays the eco-contributions?
The producer, at the scale the eco-organisation publishes; a representative re-invoices them at cost and does not advance them.
Does a marketplace register me?
No. Marketplaces read the number; some offer to pay contributions on the seller's behalf for their own sales, as their help pages describe.
Where are the texts?
The Code de l'environnement on Légifrance (articles L. 541-10 and following), the approval orders in the Journal officiel, the ADEME page of each scheme, and each eco-organisation's public site.
What does the representative service cost?
Starter €29 a month or €249 a year for one scheme; Pro €59 or €590 for up to three; Complete €89 or €890 for up to six; €12 a month for each extra scheme up to eight, on monthly billing only. Every plan runs twelve months, with no setup fee.
Who writes this site?
REP·Pro, an authorised representative (mandataire REP) established in Béziers, France, under the brand FrenchEPR. The guides are general information, not advice on an individual case.