YOUR AUTHORISED
REPRESENTATIVE
ACROSS EUROPE

The Authorised Representative is a designated legal or natural person established in an EU Member State where the producer makes packaging available for the first time, and who is appointed by a producer to fulfill their legal obligations under EPR regulations related to a certain product category under EPR, such as packaging. They act as a representative for the producer and carry out various tasks on their behalf. Some national EPR regulations in Europe stipulate already an authorised representative mandatory for foreign companies.

Companies require an Authorised Representative when they are foreign entities selling packaged goods or other products under EPR obligation in an EU member state where they do not have a registered office.

At present, some EU member state already require foreign companies to appoint an Authorised Representative to sell certain type of products to the respective country. In addition it is important to note that the current proposal of the EU packaging and packaging waste directive (status: 07/2023) will require the appointment of an Authorised Representatives for packaging and single use plastic in all EU member states, where you do not have a registered office. We strive for setting up our Authorised Representative service in all relevant markets as soon as possible.

The responsibilities of an Authorised Representative are, in most cases, the EPR responsibilities of the producer. Therefore, it can vary depending on the specific EPR regulations in a particular national jurisdiction. Some common responsibilities, which are executed on behalf of the producer, may include: submitting reports and data to regulatory authorities, concluding contracts, and coordinating with Producer Responsibility Organizations, ensuring compliance with EPR obligations, and acting as a point of contact for stakeholders and regulatory bodies.

A PoA is a legal requirement in most countries and authorises AuthoriseMe to act on your behalf and fulfill your Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations. We take care of your compliance needs by concluding contracts with authorised representatives in the relevant countries where you do business. Without the Power of Attorney, we are unable to  take any action on your behalf, such as registering you with the relevant authorities.

In many countries, the law explicitly requires that the authorized representative must be appointed through a PoA. Many national legislations even require, that the PoA is notarized and, in some cases, apostilled, to be valid. Please note that this can incur additional costs. You will find more detailed information in the PoA document itself, which we will provide to you via email.

Yes and no, a producer can appoint multiple Authorised Representatives, but with certain limitations. Within a single country, such as Austria, a producer can only appoint one Authorised Representative for a specific product category like packaging. However, if the producer operates in multiple product categories within the same country, they can appoint different Authorised Representatives for each category. Additionally, since an Authorised Representative can only operate within the country of their legal office, producers will need to appoint different Authorised Representatives for different countries where their products are sold.

An Authorised Representative ensures compliance by actively monitoring and interpreting the relevant EPR regulations pertaining to packaging. They assist the producer in implementing necessary measures such as registration, reporting, financial contributions, and other obligations to meet the requirements set by the regulatory authorities.

In some countries the appointment of an Authorised Representative is not obligatory. Many producers still choose this option because they want to streamline their EPR compliance efforts, particularly when operating in multiple jurisdictions with diverse regulations. By appointing a designated representative, producers can ensure the effective and efficient fulfillment of all obligations related to packaging waste management and recycling.

Yes, an Authorised Representative can play a pivotal role in assisting producers in optimizing their packaging waste management and recycling efforts. They can provide insights and recommendations on best practices, help identify opportunities for waste reduction, support the development of sustainable packaging strategies, and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to enhance the overall environmental performance of packaging. It’s important to note that while some Authorised Representatives may offer these additional consulting services, they might not be part of the general service and could incur additional charges.

Step 1: Click “get started” button. An Adobe Form will open.

Step 2: Choose the countries, where you would like to have an Authorised Representative

Step 3: Fill in your company data and essential information about your packaging based on your country selection.

Step 4: To complete the Adobe Form, make sure you fill in all the fields and digitally sign the Framework Agreement. The Framework Agreement is a formal contract. It sets out the responsibilities, obligations, and rights of both parties regarding EPR compliance. You will receive an e-mail to your mailbox.

Step 5: Verify your e-mail address (please check your spam folder, if you did not receive any e-mail). You will receive an e-mail with general Power of Attorney in the attachment.

Step 6: The Power of Attorney allows AuthoriseMe to handle all your EPR compliance matters, for example to appoint Authorised Representatives in the selected countries. This Power of Attorney needs to be notarized and needs to have an apostille. You will get an instruction via the e-mail. You will receive an invoice with the payment link.

Step 7: Please make sure to pay the invoice to AuthoriseMe within the next days.

ALL SET UP: Essential information provided, framework agreement signed, original Power of Attorney are sent via post and copy via e-mail, invoice paid.

• One time registration fee: This one-time fee only applies to the initial conclusion of the contract with AuthoriseMe.
• Annual handling fee: This fee is charged each year and is based on the system participation cost. Please have a further look at the FAQ “How does the pricing structure look like”
• Annual B2B fees are charges that apply to producers selling products Business-to-Business (B2B) in Austria. If your company sells products B2B, there is a base annual fee of EUR 50. Additionally, AuthoriseMe charges EUR 1 for each B2B customer to whom you have sold your products.
• To determine the precise amount of these fees, AuthoriseMe will request a list of your B2B clients by the end of the calendar year. This information will be used to calculate the applicable charges. These fees will then be included in the final annual invoice you receive from us for that calendar year.
• Please note in order to start our service we need a Power of Attorney (PoA) signed by you. In some countries it is legally requried that the PoA is notarized and potentially apostilled, which will incur additional costs.

Pricing example:
Year 1: Customer concludes contract.

1. Payments up front:
150 Euro Registration Fee

100 Euro Handling Fee

2. Payment due with the data reporting (only an example):
System participation fee, charged by the collective system for the respective amount of packaging placed on the market: e.g. 5.000 Euro for the system participation (this is a fee charged by the collective system  and will be forwarded to the collective system).

Handling fee charged by AuthoriseMe: 2,75% handling fee: 5.000*2,75% = 137,5 Euro. 100 Euro of handling fee have already been charged at the beginning of the year. Those will be deducted from the 137,5 Euro. 137,5 Euro – 100 Euro = 37,5 Euro

Invoice for data reporting: 5.000 Euro system participation cost + 37,5 Euro handling fee = 5.037,5 Euro (whereof 5.000 will be forwarded to the collective system for the collection, sorting and recycling of the packaging).

The primary service offered by AuthoriseMe is to facilitate the conclusion of Authorised Representative contracts in the selected countries on behalf of their customers.

Once customers provide the necessary documents (available via the button “Order Authorised Representative now”) AuthoriseMe takes care of the entire process of concluding contracts with the respective Authorised Representatives in the selected countries. This saves customers from the complexity of dealing with multiple representatives in different countries themselves.

Moreover, AuthoriseMe is continuously expanding its service to include more countries. As new Authorised Representatives are appointed in additional countries, AuthoriseMe keeps its customers informed about these developments. This way, customers have the flexibility to extend their coverage to more countries through the same trusted platform.

In Spain, the NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) is a unique identification number required for foreigners living in or conducting official business in the country. It’s essential for tasks like working, opening a bank account, signing contracts, paying taxes, or accessing public services. Foreigners must apply for it at an immigration office or police station.

The NIF (Número de Identificación Fiscal) is used for tax identification purposes. Spanish citizens and foreigners alike need it for paying taxes, filing tax returns, or conducting financial activities. For foreigners, the NIE number often serves as their NIF. Both numbers are crucial for engaging in legal, financial, or administrative activities in Spain.

You can apply for a NIE and NIF number here: Your NIE Number – The faster, simpler and cheaper way

By using the discount code AUTHME5, you get a 5% discount.

No, the system participation fee is not included in the price of AuthoriseMe services. This fee is determined and charged separately by the existing PRO in the chosen country. Depending on your packaging quantities, it is mandatory to join the PRO, and they will invoice you separately for the costs associated with system participation. AuthoriseMe is committed to assisting you in selecting the appropriate PRO and facilitating the contract process. AuthoriseMe imposes an annual fee of 100 euros plus taxes for each country, serving as an insurance fee that every customer must settle. However, if you are a large producer and your licensing costs to the PRO exceed 3600 euros (approximately the licensing costs for handling more than 4000 kgs of plastic waste annually), AuthoriseMe will levy an additional 2.75% on your system participation fee. This serves as a risk premium for managing increased quantities of packaging waste within local markets. For more detailed information, please refer to the FAQ Question above – How does the pricing structure look in practice?

Producers need to follow these steps to ensure compliance with SUP regulations:

• Appoint an authorized representative (e.g. AuthoriseMe).
• Register on the DIVID Portal.
• Submit an annual report on the DIVID Portal in March for the previous year.
• Pay the SUP fee to the German Ministry based on the annual report.

As the authorised representative, AuthoriseMe will initially handle the payment to the German Ministry and reinvoice the amount to clients. The SUP fee is in addition to AuthoriseMe’s annual handling fees.

You can view the products classified as Single-Use Plastics (SUP) on page 19 in the following document: EWKFondsG – Single Use Plastic