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EPR glossary
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EPR terms differ by country, and most abbreviations are German or French. This EPR glossary explains what they mean, so you know what a marketplace, a scheme or an adviser is talking about.
In short
- +A PRO (producer responsibility organisation) runs collection and recycling for producers. In France it is an eco-organisation, in Germany a dual system.
- +Your EPR number is called a LUCID number (packaging) or WEEE-Reg.-Nr. in Germany, and a UIN in France.
- +UPV is simply the Dutch word for EPR, REP the French one.
General terms
- EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility): the principle that whoever places a product on the market helps pay for its collection and recycling. See what is EPR.
- Producer: for EPR, whoever is first to place a product on a country's market. When selling at a distance, you are the producer in your customer's country.
- PRO (Producer Responsibility Organisation): an organisation that runs collection and recycling on behalf of producers and collects the fees. Examples: Verpact, Citeo, Fost Plus.
- Authorised representative: a party in another country that takes on your EPR obligations there. Mandatory for electronics and batteries when selling at a distance, and under the PPWR for packaging.
- EPR number: the registration number you receive per country and product type, which marketplaces ask for. See EPR registration.
- Placing on the market: making a product available in a country for the first time. The moment your EPR obligation there begins.
Packaging
- Primary packaging: the product's own packaging, per unit sold.
- Secondary packaging: packaging that bundles several units, such as a multipack.
- Shipping packaging: the box or mailer an order ships in, with void fill and tape. Counts per order.
- Household packaging: packaging that ends up in consumers' homes.
- Commercial packaging: packaging that ends up at businesses.
- Eco-modulation: a fee that depends on how sustainable your packaging or product is, with a bonus for well-recyclable and a penalty for poorly recyclable packaging.
- PPWR: the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2025/40, applying since 12 August 2026. See the PPWR guide.
Germany
- LUCID: Germany's public packaging register. Your LUCID registration number is your packaging EPR number.
- ZSVR (Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister): the central agency that runs LUCID and supervises compliance.
- Dual system: a private organisation that collects and recycles household packaging waste. Participation is mandatory alongside your LUCID registration.
- Systembeteiligung: participation in a dual system.
- Datenmeldung: the report of your quantities to LUCID, matching what you report to your dual system.
- Declaration of Completeness (Vollständigkeitserklärung): mandatory by 15 May above certain thresholds.
- VerpackG and VerpackDG: the German Packaging Act, replaced by the VerpackDG on 12 August 2026. See Germany.
- stiftung ear: Germany's register for electronics and batteries. Issues the WEEE-Reg.-Nr.
- ElektroG and BattDG: Germany's electronics and batteries acts.
France
- REP (responsabilité élargie du producteur): the French term for EPR.
- Eco-organisation (éco-organisme): the French PRO, per product type. Examples: Citeo, Refashion, Ecomaison.
- UIN or IDU (identifiant unique): the French registration number, one per product type. See France.
- ADEME: the French agency for ecological transition, which runs the producer register.
- AGEC law: France's 2020 anti-waste law, which extended the number of EPR schemes.
- Triman: the French sorting logo, mandatory on products and packaging covered by an EPR scheme.
- Info-tri: the sorting instruction that accompanies the Triman logo.
- Citeo: France's largest eco-organisation for household packaging.
Netherlands and Belgium
- UPV (uitgebreide producentenverantwoordelijkheid): the Dutch term for EPR.
- Verpact: the Dutch packaging organisation, called Afvalfonds Verpakkingen until March 2024. See Netherlands.
- Afvalbeheersbijdrage: the Dutch waste management fee per kilogram of packaging (or per appliance).
- Stichting OPEN: the Dutch organisation for electronics.
- Stibat: the Dutch organisation for batteries.
- Stichting UPV Textiel: the producer responsibility organisation for textiles in the Netherlands.
- ILT: the Dutch Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate, which enforces EPR in the Netherlands.
- Fost Plus: the Belgian organisation for household packaging. See Belgium.
- Valipac: the Belgian organisation for commercial packaging.
- IVCIE: the Interregional Packaging Commission, which supervises Belgium's packaging rules.
- Recupel and Bebat: the Belgian organisations for electronics and batteries.
Electronics and batteries
- WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment): discarded electrical and electronic equipment, and the EPR scheme for it. See electronics.
- WEEE number: your registration number for electronics, in Germany the WEEE-Reg.-Nr. from stiftung ear.
- Crossed-out wheelie bin: the mandatory symbol on electrical equipment and batteries.
- Battery Regulation: Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, with EPR rules since 18 August 2025. See batteries.
Frequently asked questions
What is a LUCID number?
The registration number from Germany's LUCID packaging register. It is your packaging EPR number for Germany.
What is a UIN number?
The French registration number (identifiant unique) you receive per EPR scheme once you join an eco-organisation.
What is a PRO?
A producer responsibility organisation that runs collection and recycling on behalf of producers. Verpact in the Netherlands and Citeo in France are examples.
What does UPV mean?
UPV (uitgebreide producentenverantwoordelijkheid) is the Dutch term for EPR, Extended Producer Responsibility.
Read next
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, thresholds and deadlines are set by the schemes themselves and they change. Check what applies to your situation with the scheme or an adviser.