Guide · Last reviewed 21 August 2026

What is EPR?

Extended Producer Responsibility means the party that places a product — often including its packaging — on a market also takes responsibility for what happens after use. In Europe that usually becomes registrations, scheme membership, reporting and, for many foreign sellers, a local representative.

Why merchants meet it as a shop problem

EPR is written as environmental law. Online merchants meet it as an operations problem: each destination country can have its own register, fees and calendar. Regulation (EU) 2025/40 now sets a common packaging frame, while national registers and schemes still do the local work.

Typical moving parts

• Decide whether you are a producer in that country
• Register in the national producer register
• Appoint an authorised representative if you are not established there
• Join a producer responsibility organisation or an individual system
• Report quantities and keep evidence

Germany and Spain are documented in detail on EPRGo because they are the first launch markets. Germany · Spain.

Source: Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR)