Austria
The two sides of single-use plastics in Austria
The cost of single-use plastics EPR in Austria splits in two before you even work out a fee. Austria has one name for two regimes, and which one you fall into decides what your money pays for.
Items that are also packaging (cups, containers, bags) run through the ordinary packaging system. The section 18a litter items (wet wipes, balloons and tobacco products with filters) are different.
Since 1 January 2023 their producers pay into clean-up, collection, awareness and data, not a recycling fee.
Knowing which side you are on is the first real decision, so this page treats the two paths separately.
Where single-use plastic producers register in Austria
Registration borrows the packaging machinery, because the rules were transposed into the packaging ordinance. You register in EDM and join an approved system.
Labelling is a separate, older duty. Marking on cups, wet wipes, sanitary items and tobacco filters has been required since 3 July 2021.
The authorised representative route in Austria
A foreign distance seller of single-use plastic products must appoint an Austrian authorised representative under section 16d of the ordinance, a duty in force since 1 January 2023. Foreign manufacturers may appoint one under section 16c.
The dates ahead for single-use plastics in Austria
Several EU product rules sit on top of the fee, and they run to their own clock across EPR in Austria. Tethered caps on plastic beverage bottles have been required since 3 July 2024, and recycled content must reach 30 percent in plastic beverage bottles by 2030.
The deposit is the nearest hard edge. Since 1 January 2025 single-use plastic beverage bottles fall under the 25-cent Einwegpfand, run by EWP Recycling Pfand Österreich, alongside the packaging duties. Containers filled before 1 April 2025 could be sold without a deposit only until 31 December 2025.
Frequently asked questions about Austrian single-use plastics EPR
The essentials for single-use plastics sellers.
What does single-use plastics EPR mean in Austria?
It means producers of single-use plastic products help fund how those products are dealt with as waste. In Austria that splits in two, a packaging-style system fee for packaging items and a litter-cost contribution for section 18a items like wet wipes and filtered tobacco.
Do foreign or online sellers need an authorised representative in Austria?
Yes. Since 1 January 2023 a foreign distance seller of single-use plastic products must appoint an Austrian representative under section 16d. Foreign manufacturers may appoint one under section 16c.
When are single-use plastics reports due in Austria?
By 15 March each year, for the preceding calendar year, filed to the collection-and-recovery system you joined. It is the same annual deadline that governs packaging.
Do marketplaces check single-use plastics registration in Austria?
Yes. Since 1 January 2023 a marketplace or fulfilment provider must ensure a single-use-plastics producer is compliant or exclude it from selling.
