Netherlands Verpact registration guide: packaging EPR obligations
If you bring packaging onto the Dutch market, you may need to register with Verpact (formerly Afvalfonds Verpakkingen), pay the packaging waste management fee, and report annually. This page covers the 50,000 kg threshold, online seller obligations, and what PPWR adds from 2026.
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Decision block: do you exceed the 50,000 kg packaging threshold?
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Producer/importer definition under Dutch law since 1 January 2023.
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PPWR additions from 2026 — separate from your existing Verpact obligation.
Last checked: 29 March 2026 • Guidance only • Always verify final artwork with counsel/PRO.
Legal requirement vs industry convention
Many packaging "rules" online are actually PRO templates or industry conventions. This page separates what the law requires from what is commonly recommended.
Required by law
Obligations explicitly set in legislation or binding implementing acts.
Common convention
Widely-used templates and pictograms that may help compliance, but are not always mandated as a format.
What PPWR Copilot outputs
A practical draft aligned to the law, with conventions clearly labelled.
Who Is Responsible for Packaging Waste in the Netherlands?
Under the 2014 Packaging Management Decree, manufacturers and importers of packaging or packed products are responsible for the packaging until the waste phase.
Do You Need to Register with Verpact?
Use Verpact as primary name (formerly Afvalfonds Verpakkingen).
Do you bring 50,000 kg or more of packaging material onto the Dutch market in a calendar year?
→ YES: You must pay the packaging waste management fee to Verpact and report annually.
Below 50,000 kg?
→ You are generally not required to pay the fee, but you may still have packaging waste management responsibilities.
Foreign business selling online to Dutch consumers?
→ The obligation applies to foreign businesses selling directly to Dutch consumers if the threshold is met.
Who Counts as the "Producer or Importer"?
Since 1 January 2023, if a brand owner instructs a contractor to package goods under the brand owner’s name or logo, the brand owner is the obligated party, not the contractor.
What You Report to Verpact Each Year
Annual volume declaration by material type. See Verpact’s own declaration guidance for the exact format and submission process.
What PPWR Adds From 2026 Onward
Verpact’s PPWR administration page states that from 2026, producers will face conformity / declaration-of-conformity requirements.
Important: This is NOT the same as the existing packaging waste management fee. The PPWR obligations are a separate EU-wide layer. Your existing Verpact obligations continue alongside PPWR.
Worked Example: German Pet Food Company
A practical example showing how the rules apply to real packaging.
A German pet food company sells 70,000 kg of packaged product to Dutch retailers annually. The company exceeds the 50,000 kg threshold → must register with Verpact, pay the packaging waste management fee, and submit an annual declaration. In addition, from 2026, the company will need to manage PPWR declaration-of-conformity administration for packaging placed on the EU market.
Designed for real packaging
Component-aware guidance (bottle + cap + label, boxes with inserts, films, cartons) — not generic "one icon fits all".
Built for audit trails
Outputs include clear assumptions and a "verify before printing" stance. You keep final legal sign-off.
Save hours per SKU
Stop copy-pasting between spreadsheets, slide decks, and outdated guidance PDFs. One tool, one output.
FAQs
Short answers for teams who just need clarity, not a 200-page briefing.
Is the 50,000 kg threshold per company or per product?
Per company. It covers the total weight of all packaging material you bring onto the Dutch market in a calendar year.
I sell online from outside the Netherlands to Dutch consumers. Do I need to register?
If you meet the 50,000 kg threshold, yes. The obligation applies to foreign businesses selling directly to Dutch consumers.
Is Verpact the same as Afvalfonds Verpakkingen?
Yes. Verpact is the current name. Afvalfonds Verpakkingen was the previous name.
Does PPWR replace my Verpact obligation?
No. The PPWR adds a new layer of conformity administration from 2026. Your existing Verpact packaging waste management fee and annual reporting continue separately.
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