What toy EPR actually means
Toys EPR compliance means paying for the collection and recycling of toys once they are thrown out, a cost placed on whoever puts the toys on the market.
For now it exists in only one country. France created it under the same anti-waste law behind its furniture scheme, and it is the only market where toy EPR actually runs.
So if you sell toys across Europe, the toy-specific duty is, in practice, a French one, at least until other countries follow.
Who owes it and what counts
The duty falls on the first professional to place a toy on the French market, whether that is the manufacturer or an importer bringing toys in from abroad.
Scope is broad. Any toy or game counts, whatever it is made of, and it applies whether the toy is sold or given away for free.
Any toy, any material, sold or gifted. If it reaches a French buyer as a toy, it is in scope.
How the French scheme works
France runs the filière through a single approved eco-organisme, with its approval currently set to run to the end of 2027.
You register, declare the toys you place on the French market, and pay an eco-contribution on each one. Foreign sellers do the same through a local representative.
Greece has written toys into its framework law but has no scheme up and running yet, so France stays the only place the duty actually bites.
Frequently asked questions about toys EPR compliance
Short answers to what toy sellers ask most.
Is toy EPR an EU-wide rule?
No. France is the only country with a working toy EPR scheme. Greece has it in its framework law but nothing operating yet, and there is no EU-wide toy EPR.
Who has to comply?
Whoever first places toys on the French market, professionally, whether they manufacture the toys or import them. Selling and giving away both count.
What toys are covered?
Toys and games of any material, from plastic and wood to plush and electronic toys. If it is placed on the French market as a toy, it is in scope.
Do foreign sellers need a representative in France?
Usually. A seller without a French establishment appoints an authorised representative to register and pay the eco-contribution on its behalf.
