How to fulfil your obligations as a seller or producer in
FRANCE

Every electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) producer is obliged to finance the collection and recycling of the end-of-life equipment that it produced, sold or imported onto the French market.

An easy solution is to become a member of a takeback scheme that takes responsibility for the end-of-life management of the equipment (Article L 541-2 and Article L541-10) and for meeting collection and recycling targets.

Any company or wholesaler that first introduces any type of battery onto the French market, whether the battery is sold separately or incorporated in EEE, is responsible for organizing the collection, recycling and disposal of any used batteries that it sells.

Joining a compliance scheme enables you to comply with the obligations imposed by the 22 September 2009 Order.

This category covers paper products for graphic or printing functions, such as blank printing paper, printed items such as user manuals, wall papers, gift cards or advertising inserts.

On January 1, 2007, the law introduced the principle of “Extended Producer Responsibility” (EPR) for textile products covering clothing, household linen and footwear sold in France, targeting household use. Professional products are excluded.

Companies placing furniture onto the market, especially if they import foreign products, must assign an environmental levy to each product.

The amount of the environmental levy is determined according to a single, national tariff scale for each product. This category covers household and professional furniture.

Every tyre sold in France must be declared and recycled at the end of its life. That’s what the eco-contribution is for. Selling tyres without the eco-contribution is fraud and is punishable by a fine.

This category covers chemical products and their containers, e.g. glue, paint, car polish, acetone, Vaseline or mastic.

This category covers penetrating tools for medical purposes, e.g. needles, micro-perfusion, catheters or pens with retractable needles.

EPR in France covers products such as outdoor games, slides, swings, board games, dolls and construction games.

Sports and leisure items are equipment used in the context of sports or outdoor leisure, including accessories and consumables such as bikes, scooters, and accessories including but not limited to helmets, pads and pumps.

This new sector comes under EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) and covers products that are thermal motorised for DIY and gardening use, as well as their accessories and consumables, such as chainsaws, hedge trimmers and mowers.

Any products motorised by electronic power (a battery) or electricity (a cable), belong to WEEE even if they are for DIY and gardening use.

Since January 1, 2022, the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) applies to the DIY and garden products sector.

For example: DIY materials, including hand tools; flowerpots and growing containers; tarpaulins; other products and equipment intended for the maintenance and development of the garden.