Romania
How Romanian packaging EPR gates market access
Packaging EPR in Romania runs through the Environmental Fund (AFM) on a pay-or-perform model. Miss a recovery target and you pay 2 lei/kg on the shortfall. That contribution is not a flat licence fee. It only kicks in when you fall short.
You sell bottled sauces from Italy into Romanian supermarkets. The glass jars and cardboard cases are packaging placed on the Romanian market by your Romanian importer. That importer owes the AFM declaration, plus membership in the deposit system if the product falls under SGR.
Selling packaging into Romania
The obligation falls on whoever first places packaged goods on the Romanian market. That is usually the Romanian-established importer or the domestic producer.
| Role | Obligation |
|---|---|
| Domestic manufacturer | Declare to AFM, join OIREP or fulfil individually |
| Importer | Same as domestic manufacturer |
| Beverage producer (0.1-3 L) | Also register in RetuRO SGR database |
| Seller abroad selling direct to end users | Appoint a Romanian AR (OUG 92/2021 art 12(12); PPWR Art 45(3) since 12 August 2026) |
No small-producer exemption is confirmed. No de minimis threshold applies.
How registration and reporting work in Romania
There is no separate application: your first monthly Environment Fund declaration is your registration with AFM (Law 249/2015 art 16(2)). After that you declare the packaging you place on the market by the 25th of each following month (OUG 196/2005 art 10(3)), and any 2 lei/kg shortfall sum is paid by 25 January of the next year. SIATD traceability (Ordin 1595/2020) requires tracking of packaging waste flows.
Most producers join a licensed OIREP (Organizație de Implementare a Răspunderii Extinse a Producătorului) rather than fulfilling individually. The OIREP handles collection and recovery in exchange for a scheme fee.
If you sell non-refillable beverage containers (0.1-3 L), also register in the RetuRO SGR database before placement (HG 1074/2021).
Enforcement and what changes in Romania
Enforcement is through AFM and the 2 lei/kg shortfall contribution.
The PPWR brings packaging-specific rules from 12 August 2026: a mandatory producer register, an EPR representative for sellers abroad selling direct to end users, and design-for-recycling requirements. Romania's waste framework law already obliged producers based abroad to appoint a Romanian representative (OUG 92/2021 art 12(12)), so for packaging the PPWR adds to an existing duty rather than filling a gap.
Frequently asked questions about packaging EPR in Romania
Key questions for packaging producers.
What does packaging EPR mean in Romania?
Every producer placing packaged goods on the Romanian market must declare to AFM and meet recovery targets. Miss the target and you pay 2 lei/kg on the shortfall. Most producers join a licensed OIREP instead of fulfilling individually.
Do foreign or online sellers need an authorised representative in Romania?
Yes, if you sell direct to Romanian end users. Romania's waste framework law obliges producers based abroad to appoint a Romanian AR (OUG 92/2021 art 12(12)), and the PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40) requires one since 12 August 2026. On sales to a Romanian business, that business usually declares.
When are packaging reports due in Romania?
Every month. The Environment Fund declaration is due by the 25th of the following month, and your first one is your registration. Any shortfall sum is paid by 25 January of the next year. SIATD traceability reporting (Ordin 1595/2020) runs in parallel.
What changes next for packaging EPR in Romania?
The PPWR applies directly from 12 August 2026, adding a mandatory producer register, an AR route for foreign sellers, and design-for-recycling rules. Which Romanian body runs the new register has not been confirmed.
Is the deposit scheme part of packaging EPR in Romania?
The SGR deposit (live since 30 November 2023) is a separate, refundable system for non-refillable beverage containers. For those containers, the packaging recovery duty is handled through RetuRO, not billed separately by the Fund.
For the full picture of Romanian EPR obligations across all streams, see the country overview.
