Malta
How registration works in Malta
Packaging EPR in Malta has more moving parts than any other stream. You register with ERA under regulation 21 of S.L. 549.43, receive a registration number that must appear on all invoices and receipts, and renew by 31 March each year.
The following roles carry the obligation:
- Manufacturers of packaging placed on the Maltese market
- Importers bringing packaged goods into Malta
- Distance sellers shipping packaged products to Maltese buyers
You join an authorised PRO (GreenPak Cooperative Society Ltd or GreenMT Ltd) first, and the PRO submits your ERA registration within a month. PRO membership is compulsory for sales and grouped packaging. Only transport packaging and refillable gas cylinders may be self-complied, with a work plan and a distributor agreement. The PRO handles collection, recycling and reporting on your behalf.
Where the money goes in Maltese packaging EPR
The cost has several layers. ERA registration and renewal come first. The PRO sets its contribution rates by packaging type and weight. No per-tonne scheme amounts have been published.
For beverage producers, the BCRS company registration is a one-time EUR 100 fee, separate from the ERA packaging registration. The two systems run in parallel but do not overlap on the same container.
Your reporting duties in Malta
Declarations are annual through your chosen PRO. ERA registration renewal is due by 31 March. Late renewal costs 70 euros extra per month for packaging (S.L. 549.43 reg 21(2)).
| Duty | Where | When |
|---|---|---|
| ERA registration renewal | ERA | By 31 March |
| Volume declaration | GreenPak or GreenMT | Annual |
| BCRS participation (if beverages) | BCRS Malta | Ongoing |
| Registration number on invoices | All sales documents | Continuous |
Producers placing less than 100 kg of packaging a year are outside the registration rules (S.L. 549.43 reg 2(3)(b)). PPWR has no such threshold, so check its rules separately.
Distance sellers and Malta
If you sell packaging direct to consumers in Malta from abroad, you must appoint an authorised representative established in Malta when you apply for registration (S.L. 549.43 reg 21(8)). The representative handles ERA registration and PRO membership on your behalf.
Selling without registering is fined at 750 euros per tonne of packaging placed on the market, counted until you apply (reg 21(7)).
The dates ahead for packaging in Malta
The PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40) applies directly across Malta from 12 August 2026. This brings new packaging design requirements, recycled-content targets and reuse obligations. For producers already in the ERA + PRO system, the impact will flow through scheme requirements.
The BCRS deposit system is already live (since November 2022), so Malta has experience running a deposit alongside packaging EPR without double-charging producers.
Frequently asked questions about packaging EPR in Malta
Here are the questions producers ask most often about packaging compliance in Malta.
Does Maltese packaging EPR apply to you?
If you place packaging on the Maltese market as a manufacturer, importer or distance seller, you must join GreenPak or GreenMT, which registers you with ERA. Self-compliance is open only for transport packaging and refillable gas cylinders, and producers under 100 kg a year are outside the registration rules.
How much does packaging EPR cost in Malta?
Costs run through ERA registration plus PRO contributions. For beverage containers in the BCRS deposit, the one-time company registration is EUR 100. BCRS covers the EPR for deposit containers, so you do not pay a packaging scheme for those same items.
What happens if I sell without registering?
You would be in breach of S.L. 549.43. ERA registration is a legal requirement, and the registration number must appear on invoices and receipts. Selling unregistered is fined at 750 euros per tonne of packaging, and late renewal costs 70 euros extra a month.
Which register covers packaging in Malta?
ERA maintains the packaging producer register under regulation 21 of S.L. 549.43. BCRS Malta runs the separate beverage container deposit register under S.L. 549.134.
