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Packaging obligations in Romania (2026)

Draft

Verified on: 2026-09-01

EU framework: PPWR (EU) 2025/40, applicable since 12 Aug 2026

National: Legea 249/2015 on packaging and packaging waste; OUG 196/2005 on the Environment Fund (amended inter alia by OUG 125/2022) with the 2 Lei/kg contribution; OIREP licensing by the Ministry of Environment (procedure inter alia under Ordin 1555/2020); SGR deposit return system (RetuRO), operational since 30 Nov 2023

Romania combines a fund model with licensed take-over organisations: parties placing packaged products on the market register as contributors with the Administrația Fondului pentru Mediu (AFM, Environment Fund Administration), declare monthly and pay 2 Lei/kg on the difference between the statutory recovery/recycling targets and the volumes actually evidenced. In practice, most companies transfer target fulfilment by contract to an OIREP (organisation implementing extended producer responsibility) licensed by the Ministry of Environment (14 organisations according to the Ecoteca overview, as at 20 Jul 2026; Eco-Rom Ambalaje in insolvency). The PPWR infrastructure is incomplete: a national producer register under Art. 44 PPWR does not yet exist, national packaging law has no authorised-representative mechanism of its own, and the national sanctions regime for the PPWR must be adopted by 12 Feb 2027. A draft law (No. 297/2026, including 4 Lei/kg) was criticised by the Economic and Social Council and has not been adopted.

Packaging EPR: AFM registration, monthly declarations and target fulfilment via an OIREP (Romania)

Anyone placing packaged products on the Romanian market is responsible for meeting the annual recovery/recycling targets for packaging waste: registration as a contributor with the AFM, monthly declarations by the 25th, target fulfilment either directly or by contract with a licensed OIREP; for unfulfilled target volumes, 2 Lei/kg is payable to the Environment Fund.

Authorised representative: 
National packaging law so far has NO authorised-representative mechanism of its own for packaging EPR; AFM registration in practice presupposes a Romanian tax registration. Since 12 Aug 2026, Art. 45 PPWR directly requires an authorised representative established in Romania for distance sellers without a Romanian establishment – but the associated producer register (Art. 44 PPWR) has not yet been set up. Until national implementation: monitor developments and clarify an authorised-representative/fiscal-representative solution with an OIREP or advisers.
Cross-border: 
The national obligations (AFM declarations, the 2 Lei/kg contribution) attach to 'operatori economici' that introduce packaged products onto the national market – for classic imports, responsibility lies with the Romanian importer. Foreign online sellers shipping directly to Romanian end customers were in practice not covered by the national system so far; since 12 Aug 2026 they are themselves responsible via the PPWR producer definition (including the authorised-representative obligation under Art. 45 PPWR). As long as the register and implementation are lacking, risks arise mainly from marketplace requirements and future inspections; according to professional practice, inspections by the environmental authorities can reach back 5 years.
Costs: 
OIREP tariffs per kg and material by contract (individual OIREPs such as Eco Synergy publish tariff information); 2 Lei/kg is payable to the Environment Fund only on the difference between the annual targets and the volumes actually recovered. A draft law (297/2026) provides for 4 Lei/kg but has not been adopted.
Deadlines: 
Monthly AFM declaration by the 25th of the following month; annual settlement and contribution payment by 25 Jan of the following year. PPWR obligations (producer definition, Art. 45 authorised representative) have applied since 12 Aug 2026; the national PPWR sanctions regime is to be expected by 12 Feb 2027.

Typical steps

  1. Record the packaging volumes per material that reach the Romanian market with products (including shipping packaging).
  2. Register as a contributor with the AFM and enrol for online filing (qualified electronic signature required).
  3. Conclude a contract with an OIREP licensed by the Ministry of Environment to transfer the recovery/recycling targets (check the current licence list with the Ministry or the AFM; contact of the supervisory commission: ambalaje@mmediu.ro).
  4. Submit the AFM declaration monthly by the 25th (volumes placed on the market per material plus recovered/recycled volumes or OIREP evidence) – the declaration obligation remains even with an OIREP contract.
  5. Annually by 25 Jan, declare and pay any 2 Lei/kg contributions for the previous year's target shortfalls; retain volume and recovery evidence for at least 5 years.
  6. Without an establishment in Romania: clarify the authorised-representative question under Art. 45 PPWR and monitor the establishment of the Romanian producer register (Art. 44 PPWR).
  7. For beverages in single-use packaging 0.1–3 l: separately check registration and deposit obligations in the SGR system (RetuRO, deposit of 0.50 RON per unit; fine of 20,000–40,000 RON for failure to register).

Providers for this obligation

FEPRA EPR S.A.Clean Recycle S.A.GreenPoint Management S.A.Eco Synergy S.A.Reciclad'OR S.A.

Sources: Green Resources – AFM-Erklärungspflichten (Monatserklärung bis zum 25., Jahresabrechnung bis 25.01., 2-Lei/kg-Mechanik, Pflichten trotz OIREP-Vertrag) (accessed 2026-09-01) · Ecoteca – Liste der lizenzierten OIREP für Verpackungen (14 Organisationen, Stand 20.07.2026) (accessed 2026-09-01) · Ministerul Mediului – Comisia de supraveghere Ambalaje (OIREP-Aufsicht, Kontakt ambalaje@mmediu.ro) (accessed 2026-09-01) · WasteBill – Einschreibung in das AFM-Online-System (qualifizierte E-Signatur, Ablauf) (accessed 2026-09-01) · Ecopolitica – PPWR-Start 12.08.2026: nationales Register/Behördenbenennung/Sanktionsregime in Rumänien noch offen; Gesetzentwurf 297/2026 (accessed 2026-09-01) · Reciclad'OR – OIREP/EPR/PPWR-Leitfaden 2026 (Funktionsweise OIREP, 2 Lei/kg, 5-Jahres-Kontrollhorizont) (accessed 2026-09-01) · EY Rumänien – SGR-Pfandsystem, in Kraft seit 30.11.2023 (accessed 2026-09-01) · RetuRO – SGR-Handbuch für Händler (Pfandsystem-Pflichten) (accessed 2026-09-01)

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Legal information, not legal advice. The linked official sources prevail; data marked “draft” has not been finally verified.