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Information only, not legal or professional advice. Provided without responsibility, and no liability is accepted for reliance on it. Verify against the linked sources.

Packaging Rules CheckEU packaging rules for small sellers

Question

Is there a 50 tonne threshold that exempts me?

Reviewed 2026-08-15

Commonly said

There is a 50-tonne EU-wide threshold below which small sellers are exempt.

Only in the Netherlands. It is not an EU-wide threshold.

The Dutch position

  • 50,000 kg per calendar year before the variable waste management fee applies.
  • There is no minimum for single-use plastics or deposit-return items.
  • Reports in 2026 suggest overseas sellers have to register from 12 August 2026 no matter how little they sell. Check with Verpact.

Everywhere else

  • Germany: no threshold.
  • France: no threshold.
  • Belgium: historically around 300 kg.
  • Most countries expect you to register from your first sale.

How to read any threshold

  • Check which country it belongs to.
  • Check whether it covers registering or only the fees. Those are two different things.

Sources

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