Belgium Packaging EPR Compliance Training: From A to Z

Practical training on Belgian packaging registration, Fost Plus and Valipac participation, reporting, fees, collection and recycling obligations.

Selling packaged products in Belgium involves more than selecting recyclable materials. Manufacturers, importers, brand owners, distributors and online sellers must determine who is legally responsible for packaging, how waste-management obligations are fulfilled, and which information must be reported.

Belgium operates an interregional packaging responsibility framework involving Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region. The Interregional Commission for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPRiBEL), formerly the Interregional Packaging Commission, oversees packaging EPR matters. Fost Plus manages collective compliance arrangements for household packaging, while Valipac serves the industrial and commercial packaging sector.

The regulatory framework has also entered a significant transition. Regulation (EU) 2025/40, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), began applying on 12 August 2026. Its producer definition changes responsibility for certain businesses, particularly foreign suppliers and companies handling commercial packaging. Registration arrangements, reporting procedures and additional packaging requirements must therefore be assessed carefully.

ComplyMarket’s Belgium Packaging EPR Compliance Training offers a practical, one-day introduction to these responsibilities.

Through structured explanations, packaging classification exercises, reporting examples and a guided case study, participants will examine how Belgian packaging EPR works, how to identify potential compliance gaps and how to organise the information needed for ongoing reporting.

Event Details

 

What Will You Learn?

The course is designed to help participants understand the practical steps involved in Belgian packaging EPR compliance.

By the end of the training, participants will be better prepared to:

1.  Understand Belgium’s packaging EPR framework, including the roles of EPRiBEL, Fost Plus and Valipac.

2.  Identify the responsible producer for packaging placed on the Belgian market under the PPWR.

3.  Classify household, industrial, commercial and transport packaging using Belgian reporting principles.

4.  Understand producer registration procedures, compliance schemes and the changing requirements for foreign businesses.

5.  Prepare packaging declarations using material, weight, sales and import information.

6.  Evaluate EPR participation fees and distinguish them from registration, recycling and litter-related charges.

7.  Understand collection, recycling and take-back arrangements for different packaging streams.

8.  Assess packaging prevention and reuse requirements, including relevant EU sustainability developments.

9.  Recognise reporting risks and prepare an internal compliance checklist for Belgian packaging activities.

One-Day Training Agenda

09:00–09:45 | Packaging EPR framework and packaging classification

The opening session introduces Belgium’s packaging waste framework, the responsibilities of its interregional authority and the interaction between national arrangements and the EU PPWR.

Participants will examine how packaging is classified before producer responsibility and reporting obligations are determined.

Topics covered:

•  Belgium’s interregional framework and the roles of EPRiBEL and regional authorities.

•  Regulation (EU) 2025/40 and its relationship with Belgian packaging legislation.

•  Household packaging versus industrial and commercial packaging.

•  Sales, grouped, shipping, transport and service packaging categories.

•  Material classification for paper, cardboard, plastics, metals, glass and composites.

•  Distinguishing single-use packaging from genuinely reusable packaging.

•  Practical classification examples involving consumer products, shipping cartons and pallets.

09:45–10:30 | Who is responsible?

Correctly identifying the producer is fundamental to packaging compliance. This session explains how responsibility is assigned throughout the supply chain and why the PPWR has changed the position of certain Belgian and foreign businesses.

Topics covered:

•  Producer responsibility for Belgian manufacturers, packers, importers and distributors.

•  Differences between the former Belgian responsible-company categories and the PPWR producer definition.

•  Obligations affecting foreign suppliers selling directly to Belgian end users.

•  Private-label products, contract packaging and brand-owner responsibilities.

•  E-commerce sellers, marketplaces and direct-to-consumer distribution.

•  The treatment of reusable transport packaging and pallet ownership.

•  Authorised representatives for foreign producers and the status of proposed EU simplifications.

Practical example: Determine which company is responsible when packaged products are manufactured outside Belgium and delivered to a Belgian business or end user.

10:30–10:45 | Coffee break

10:45–11:30 | Registration and competent bodies

This session examines how companies demonstrate their compliance status and the steps involved in producer registration under Belgium’s evolving legal framework.

Participants will distinguish scheme membership and reporting from registration with a competent authority.

Topics covered:

•  EPRiBEL’s regulatory role and the Belgian packaging producer register.

•  The transition from existing compliance arrangements to PPWR registration requirements.

•  Registration through a producer responsibility organisation versus individual compliance.

•  Company identification, packaging information and supporting documentation.

•  Registration arrangements for foreign producers and authorised representatives.

•  Verification of producer information, registration numbers and status updates.

•  Distinguishing official administrative charges from PRO contributions and consultancy fees.

The session will also explain why membership of a compliance organisation does not automatically replace every legal obligation, including packaging prevention requirements where applicable.

11:30–12:15 | EPR participation, producer schemes and packaging types

Belgium has established collective arrangements for household and commercial packaging waste.

Participants will examine how Fost Plus and Valipac operate, what membership involves and when a business may instead fulfil its duties individually.

Topics covered:

•  Fost Plus and compliance arrangements for household packaging.

•  Valipac and the management of industrial and commercial packaging obligations.

•  Identifying businesses responsible for both packaging streams.

•  Membership agreements, declarations and information requirements.

•  Collective compliance compared with individual collection and recycling arrangements.

•  Documentation needed to demonstrate participation and waste-management responsibilities.

•  The different treatment of reusable packaging and commercial transport materials.

12:15–13:00 | Lunch break

13:00–14:00 | Packaging quantity reporting

Accurate packaging data is essential for completing declarations and calculating contributions.

This session explores how companies can collect and organise the necessary information across procurement, production, logistics and sales operations.

Topics covered:

•  Preparing a packaging bill of materials for each relevant product.

•  Recording packaging quantities by material, weight and packaging category.

•  Distinguishing household and industrial or commercial reporting streams.

•  Identifying single-use packaging and reusable packaging placed on the market.

•  Using sales, import and distribution records to calculate reportable quantities.

•  Understanding annual declarations, corrections and the 2026 producer-responsibility transition.

•  Preparing submissions through Fost Plus, Valipac or the applicable authority route.

•  Maintaining supporting calculations, supplier information and internal verification records.

For existing scheme declarations, the standard annual submission deadline is 28 February for the preceding calendar year. The applicable reporting arrangements should also reflect the responsibilities that changed on 12 August 2026.

14:00–14:45 | Collection, deposits and take-back

Packaging EPR is connected to the collection and treatment of packaging waste after use.

This session explains how Belgian collection and recovery arrangements work and why the relevant waste stream affects a company’s operational responsibilities.

Topics covered:

•  Household collection arrangements, including PMD, glass and paper-cardboard streams.

•  Commercial and industrial waste collection and recycling evidence.

•  Separation and treatment of different packaging materials.

•  Take-back responsibilities and the role of authorised waste-management operators.

•  Reusable packaging systems, returnable containers and established deposit arrangements.

•  Distinguishing existing deposit practices from future or proposed requirements.

Participants will also consider how packaging destined for households differs operationally from pallet wrap, drums and transport packaging used in commercial environments.

14:45–15:00 | Coffee break

15:00–15:45 | EPR licensing fees and recycling cost model

Understanding packaging compliance costs is essential for budgeting and product-level cost analysis.

This session provides a structured explanation of Belgium’s contribution systems and the cost factors businesses should monitor.

Topics covered:

•  Separating official registration charges from participation fees and commercial services.

•  Fost Plus material-based household packaging contributions.

•  Valipac financing contributions for industrial and commercial packaging.

•  Weight, material category, recyclability and declaration method as cost drivers.

•  Packaging design decisions that can affect material classification and contributions.

•  Belgium’s 2026 litter levy for certain packaging products, where applicable.

•  Collection, transport, sorting and recycling costs outside standard scheme contributions.

•  Annual cost forecasts, contribution updates and reconciliation of declared quantities.

Practical exercise: Compare the EPR cost categories associated with consumer packaging and commercial transport packaging using published Belgian scheme information.

15:45–16:30 | Packaging design, labeling, recycling and regulatory changes

Packaging compliance extends beyond registration and waste-management financing.

This session reviews the relationship between EPR obligations and packaging sustainability requirements, with particular attention to developments under the EU PPWR.

Topics covered:

•  Packaging prevention, minimisation and the role of prevention plans.

•  Recyclability and packaging material selection.

•  Recycled-content requirements and their phased implementation.

•  Reuse objectives, return systems and relevant transition periods.

•  EU rules concerning substances of concern, including PFAS in food-contact packaging.

•  Packaging identification, labelling and future harmonisation requirements.

•  Preparing for later PPWR milestones, including relevant measures scheduled for 2030.

Participants will distinguish requirements already applicable in 2026 from measures taking effect later or requiring additional implementing legislation.

16:30–17:00 | Practical case study and Q&A

The final session brings the training topics together through a practical business scenario.

Participants will examine a foreign company supplying packaged products to Belgian customers and identify the information and decisions necessary to assess packaging compliance.

The exercise will cover:

•  Identifying the producer and the relevant legal responsibilities.

•  Classifying consumer, shipping and commercial packaging.

•  Evaluating registration and compliance scheme arrangements.

•  Preparing material and weight data for annual declarations.

•  Estimating applicable fee categories and identifying reporting or collection risks.

The session concludes with questions and a summary of the key compliance steps discussed during the day.

Who Should Attend?

This training is intended for professionals involved in packaging, product distribution and regulatory compliance in Belgium.

It is particularly relevant to:

•  Manufacturers and producers of packaged consumer or industrial goods.

•  Importers, distributors and wholesalers supplying the Belgian market.

•  Brand owners, private-label businesses and retailers.

•  E-commerce sellers and businesses selling directly to Belgian customers.

•  Packaging manufacturers, logistics providers and supply chain professionals.

•  Regulatory affairs, sustainability, environmental and compliance teams.

•  Procurement, finance and packaging data management professionals.

•  Consultants supporting businesses with packaging EPR obligations.

The course is suitable for organisations establishing their first Belgian packaging compliance process as well as experienced teams seeking to review the impact of recent regulatory changes.

Why Attend ComplyMarket’s Packaging EPR Training?

Understanding packaging obligations is only one part of effective compliance. Businesses must also identify responsible entities, coordinate supplier information, prepare declarations and monitor changes affecting costs and reporting.

ComplyMarket’s training is structured around these operational challenges.

Participants will benefit from:

Country-specific regulatory context: Understand Belgium’s interregional framework rather than relying on compliance procedures from other European countries.

Practical reporting examples: Examine how packaging data is organised and used for declarations.

Cost visibility: Learn to identify the different categories of EPR-related expenditure and the information needed for budgeting.

Supply chain responsibility: Evaluate how commercial relationships, imports and distribution models influence packaging producer responsibilities.

Regulatory preparation: Review the changing PPWR requirements and their potential implications for internal processes.

The course provides practical guidance and illustrative scenarios rather than replacing a company-specific legal assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is responsible for packaging EPR in Belgium?

Responsibility depends on the producer definition under the PPWR and the relevant supply chain arrangement.

Belgian manufacturers, importers, distributors and foreign businesses selling directly to Belgian end users may be responsible, depending on their role and the packaging concerned.

The PPWR changed certain responsibilities on 12 August 2026, so businesses should review their status rather than rely solely on earlier Belgian classifications.

2. Does Belgium have a packaging producer register?

EPRiBEL is the competent authority for Belgium’s packaging EPR producer register.

In its August 2026 guidance, EPRiBEL stated that the new register and Belgian implementing arrangements were still being developed.

Companies should confirm the latest operational registration procedure, including whether registration is handled through a producer responsibility organisation or directly with EPRiBEL.

3. Is joining Fost Plus or Valipac mandatory?

Collective participation is a common way to fulfil Belgian packaging EPR obligations, but it is not the only compliance route.

Fost Plus covers household packaging, while Valipac covers industrial and commercial packaging.

Companies may be able to organise individual compliance, provided they meet the applicable collection, recycling, reporting and approval requirements.

4. Does Belgium have an exemption for small packaging producers?

The former Belgian framework included a 300 kg threshold for certain take-back obligations.

However, EPRiBEL’s PPWR guidance states that there is no general minimum threshold exempting producers from the new producer responsibility framework.

Simplified annual reporting is envisaged for producers responsible for less than 10 tonnes of packaging waste. Businesses should verify the current implementing rules before relying on an exemption.

5. How much does packaging EPR compliance cost in Belgium?

Costs depend on the packaging stream, material, weight, recyclability and compliance arrangements.

Fost Plus applies household packaging contribution rates, while Valipac publishes financing contributions for commercial and industrial packaging.

Additional costs may include applicable official registration charges, litter-related contributions and commercial collection or compliance services.

There is no single universal Belgian packaging EPR fee.

6. What packaging quantities must companies report?

Companies generally need information on packaging placed on the Belgian market, classified by material and relevant packaging stream.

Reporting distinguishes household from industrial and commercial packaging, as well as single-use and reusable packaging.

Fost Plus and Valipac normally require annual declarations. Under the new producer framework, the producer and reporting period must also be identified correctly.

7. Do foreign companies need an authorised representative in Belgium?

The PPWR introduced authorised-representative requirements affecting certain foreign producers.

EPRiBEL’s guidance identifies additional responsibilities for foreign businesses supplying Belgian end users directly.

However, EU-level simplification proposals may affect some businesses. Foreign sellers should assess their establishment, sales channels and the current legal position before appointing a representative.

8. Are industrial and transport packaging subject to different requirements?

Yes. Industrial and commercial packaging follows different collection, declaration and financing arrangements from household packaging.

Transport packaging, including pallets, drums, shipping boxes and pallet wrap, may also involve different producer identification rules.

The relevant classification, reusable status and supply chain arrangements must be assessed individually.

9. What packaging regulatory changes should businesses monitor?

Regulation (EU) 2025/40 began applying in stages from 12 August 2026.

Businesses should monitor registration arrangements, producer definitions, packaging substances, future labelling requirements, recyclability criteria, recycled content and reuse provisions.

Belgium also introduced an additional litter-related contribution framework in 2026 for certain product and packaging categories.

10. Does Belgian packaging EPR registration cover other EU countries?

No. Packaging EPR obligations are assessed separately for each country where a business falls within the applicable producer responsibility rules.

Compliance in Belgium does not automatically satisfy requirements in Germany, France, the Netherlands or other EU markets.

Businesses selling across borders should assess producer responsibility, registration and reporting arrangements for each relevant market.

Register Your Interest

Interested in understanding Belgium’s packaging EPR obligations and preparing your business for registration, reporting and recycling compliance?

Contact info@complymarket.com to express your interest

Prepare your team for Belgium’s changing packaging EPR requirements with ComplyMarket.