Austria EPR Compliance: Key Requirements Amazon Sellers Need to Know

Major marketplaces including Amazon have recently issued a large number of compliance notices, requiring sellers shipping goods to Austria to complete Austrian EPR registration and submit valid registration numbers.

As part of the EU Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework, Austrian EPR currently covers three core categories:

1. Packaging
2. WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)
3. Batteries

At the same time, the upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will further strengthen packaging compliance requirements across Europe from 12 August 2026, making EPR compliance even more important for cross-border sellers.

In this guide, VATAi breaks down the essentials of Austrian EPR compliance and explains how sellers can stay compliant when selling into Austria.

Why Are Sellers Receiving Austrian EPR Compliance Notices?

Many sellers have recently received Amazon notifications requesting valid Austrian EPR registration numbers, even if they have never opened an Austrian marketplace account. This is because EPR obligations are determined by the destination country of the sale, not whether you operate a dedicated Austria store.

You may be subject to Austrian EPR requirements if:

1. Your inventory under German FBA or Pan-European FBA is transferred to Austrian fulfillment centers
2. Orders are delivered to Austrian addresses
3. You fulfill Austrian consumer orders through local Austrian warehouses or third-party overseas warehouses

⚠️ Platform Reminder: Amazon, eBay, and other marketplaces now require valid Austrian EPR registration numbers. Failure to comply may result in listing restrictions or account suspension.

What Is Austrian EPR?

EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) follows the principle of: whoever places products on the market is responsible for their end-of-life waste management.

In practice, this means sellers are responsible for the collection, recycling, treatment, and environmentally sound disposal of products and packaging placed on the Austrian market. Austrian EPR is governed by the Waste Management Act (AWG 2002) together with separate regulations covering packaging, WEEE, and batteries. Currently, nearly all cross-border goods sold into Austria fall under at least one EPR obligation.

❗ Important: Non-Austrian sellers must appoint a local Austrian Authorised Representative (AR) to handle registration, reporting, fee payments, and communication with compliance schemes. Self-registration is generally not permitted for overseas sellers.

Detailed Breakdown of the Three Core Categories for Austrian EPR

Austrian EPR mainly covers the following three areas. Cross-border sellers need to check compliance for each one individually.

01 Austrian Packaging EPR

1. Effective Date

Fees for authorised representatives became mandatory on 1 January 2023. The existing Austrian Packaging Regulation is expected to be replaced by the upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) across all EU member states starting 12 August 2026. Until then, producers placing packaged goods on the Austrian market must comply with the current packaging rules.

2. Scope of Coverage

Practically all goods sold to Austria come with packaging, with no exemptions. The applicable packaging types are listed below:

1. Sales (primary) packaging – For example, a cereal box sold to a consumer
2. Grouped (secondary) packaging – For example, shrink wrap holding six bottles together
3. Transport (tertiary) packaging – For example, a cardboard shipping carton used to deliver goods
4. Service packaging – For example, a takeaway coffee cup filled at the café
5. Reusable packaging – For example, a refillable glass beverage bottle

Each of the above must be further classified as either household or commercial/industrial packaging for EPR purposes.

3. Key Compliance Requirements

1. Registration: Join Austria’s officially recognised packaging recovery scheme and obtain a GLN/VKS registration number
2. Declaration: You are required to submit an annual volume report if your annual placement of household, commercial or industrial packaging exceeds 1,500 kilograms
3. Authorised Representative: Non-resident sellers must appoint a local Authorised Representative (AR) to handle all compliance matters

02 Austrian WEEE Compliance (Waste from electrical and electronic equipment)

1. Core of regulations

The Austrian Elektroaltgeräteverordnung (WEEE ordinance) stipulates that producers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and importers selling such goods on the Austrian market shall bear financial responsibilities for the collection, treatment, recycling, reuse and environmentally sound disposal of waste generated from their products.

In addition, producers placing EEE on the Austrian market are required to register with a collection and recycling system. Non-resident producers outside Austria must appoint an Authorised Representative to ensure full compliance with local obligations. For producers based in Austria, appointing an Authorised Representative is not mandatory. EU producers that do not distribute goods to end users may choose whether to engage one.

2. Scope of Covered Products

1. Heat exchange equipment: such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and other heat exchangers that use fluids other than water for heat transfer.
2. Screens, monitors, and devices with a screen area exceeding 100 square centimeters: such as screens, televisions, LCD photo frames, monitors, and laptops.
3. Lighting fixtures: such as tubular fluorescent lamps, low-pressure sodium lamps, and all types of lamps.
4. Large appliances (>50cm): such as washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, rice cookers, and ovens.
5. Small appliances (<50cm): such as vacuum cleaners, carpet sweepers, sewing machines, lamps, and small appliances with built-in photovoltaic modules.
6. Small IT and telecommunications equipment (<50cm): such as mobile phones, GPS devices, calculators, routers, personal computers, printers, and telephones.

3. Key Compliance Requirements

1. Registration: Join the Austrian WEEE recycling system and obtain a WEEE registration number
2. Labeling: Mark products or packaging with the WEEE recycling symbol (crossed-out trash can)
3. Recycling: Entrust a recycling agency to handle waste products. Overseas sellers must designate a local authorized representative (AR)

03 Austrian Battery EPR

1. Effective Date

Effective in 2008, and mandated by Amazon from August 18, 2025, all manufacturers, importers and suppliers of batteries and accumulators sold in the Austrian market must register in Austria's battery recycling registration system.

2. Covered Battery Types

1. Portable batteries: Mobile phone batteries, button cells, power banks and remote control batteries
2. Automotive batteries: Car starting batteries and automotive storage batteries
3. Industrial batteries: Energy storage batteries and special equipment batteries

3. Key Compliance Requirements

1. Registration: Join the Austrian battery recycling system and obtain a battery EPR registration number
2. Declaration: Electronically declare the volume of batteries placed on the market and participate in a take-back scheme
3. Authorised Representative: Overseas sellers must designate a local Authorized Representative (AR). Registration cannot be completed without an AR.

How to Upload Austrian EPR Numbers on Amazon

Amazon does not operate a dedicated Austrian marketplace, so sellers must upload Austrian EPR registration numbers through Amazon Germany Seller Central.

1. Go to [Account Health] in Amazon Seller Central.

2. Select [Regulatory Compliance].

3. Under [Manage Your Compliance], click [Submit Compliance Information].

4. Choose the [Extended Producer Responsibility] section and click [Next].

5. Select the applicable regulation under the [Policy] tab and enter your registration number.

Repeat the process for each applicable category.

If you are not considered the producer under the regulation, you may need to provide your upstream supplier’s registration number and confirm your non-producer status.

⚠️ Common reasons for rejection include:

1. Mismatched seller names
2. Expired registration numbers
3. Incorrect producer/non-producer selection

Always double-check your information before submitting.

Stay Ahead of PPWR & EU EPR Compliance Changes

With PPWR implementation approaching and marketplaces becoming increasingly strict, EPR compliance is no longer optional for cross-border sellers operating in Europe. For sellers shipping products to Austria, early preparation can help reduce the risk of listing removals, delayed registrations, unexpected reporting obligations, and future compliance gaps under the new EU packaging rules.

VATAi provides end-to-end EU EPR compliance solutions for global e-commerce sellers across multiple product categories, including packaging, WEEE, batteries, textiles, and more. From registration and filings to authorised representative (AR) support, VATAi helps sellers manage EPR obligations with confidence across Europe. Need help with Austrian EPR compliance? Contact VATAi today to get started and stay compliant across Europe.

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