EPR fees: New tariffs at the turn of the year — what manufacturers need to know
At the turn of the year, several compliance schemes updated their EPR tariffs for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), batteries and packaging. At the same time, the new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) comes into force, accelerating harmonization, recyclability assessments and broader application of so-called eco-modulation. Manufacturers should review these changes and adjust reporting, cost calculations and product strategies accordingly.
What changed — selected examples
Austria: New battery types were introduced and additional subcategories were created for commercial electrical equipment.
France: New tariffs were published for 2026 across several EPR streams (EEE, furniture, packaging and batteries). Fees are now more finely differentiated by weight and category; surcharges and discounts tied to new eco-design criteria have been added.
Italy: CONAI increased the fee for packaging made from compostable bioplastics from €130/t to €246/t effective 1 July 2026. Certain types of plastic packaging are being reclassified into different categories, which will also affect simplified procedures for the import of filled packaging.
Spain: Some device groups (for example PV panels and UPS) received discounts of up to 67%, while other groups saw increases of up to 20%.
Sweden: Recipo has introduced, in addition to the annual fee for EEE, an annual fee for batteries.
Denmark: For certain battery types, eco-modulation is applied as surcharges on the Environmental Fee of up to 30%.
Eco-modulation — short explanation
Eco-modulation links the EPR fee to product attributes:
Products with high recyclability, good reparability or a high recycled-content get discounts on the EPR fee.
Hard-to-recycle or hazardous products are subject to surcharges.
Some countries (notably France and Italy) have applied eco-modulation for years. EU rules such as the PPWR are now pushing for a wider and more standardised rollout across the EU. For producers, this goes along with the need to demonstrate compliance with technical criteria.
Implications for manufacturers
Short term: Greater tariff volatility due to differentiated fees rather than single flat rates.
Medium term: Direct impact on manufacturing costs, product pricing and design choices — early investments in recyclability, recycled content or reparability can reduce future fees.
Operational: Increased documentation and evidence requirements against technical criteria (e.g. recycled content, sortability, absence of restricted substances, reparability).
Conclusion: Manufacturers should keep an eye on the relevant fee developments and incorporate any changes into planning. Reporting data, cost models and product strategies may need updating to secure a competitive advantage through sustainable design and to avoid unexpected additional costs.
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