Germany: New Packaging Law Requires Registration with New Packaging Register

In Germany, the new Law on Packaging and Packaging Waste (VerpackG) will come into effect on January 1, 2019. It will replace the current Packaging Ordinance (VerpackV). The most important change refers to the newly established Packaging Register (Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister). Producer and/or distributors that introduce packaging on the German market have to register electronically via the database LUCID by January 1, 2019. Further obligations apply: – Annual declaration of volumes to the new Packaging Register – Registration of brands – Classification of packaging types that have to be registered according to the list of B2C packaging that will be issued by the register. Some obligations will remain the same: – Duty to join an official licensed packaging compliance scheme (“Duales System”) – Reporting of quantities to the scheme in agreed cycle – Types of packaging materials that have to be declared – Obligation to submit a declaration of completeness if the quantities exceed the volume thresholds. The new register is currently in the process of development, and plans to start by end of August 2018. Companies will then be able to pre-register. For further information, please contact us.