EPR Obligations EU → 🇮🇪 Ireland
EPR in Ireland 2026: Packaging, WEEE & Batteries
Major packaging producers must join Repak, self-compliance ended on 1 January 2023, and distance sellers of electrical equipment and batteries need an Irish authorized representative and an annual registration with Producer Register Ltd.
Last reviewed: · Sources linked below
Short answer: in Ireland, "major producers" of packaging – businesses with 10 tonnes or more of packaging and a turnover above €1 million – must join Repak; self-compliance ended on 1 January 2023. For electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and batteries, distance sellers established outside Ireland must appoint an Irish authorized representative and register with Producer Register Ltd, renewing the registration by 31 January each year.
Ireland at a glance
- Packaging register / scheme(s)
- Repak – membership mandatory for major producers; self-compliance ended 1 Jan 2023.
- Authorized representative
- EEE and batteries: mandatory Irish authorized representative for distance sellers outside Ireland. Packaging: Art. 45 PPWR applies; Irish implementing measures not confirmed in our sources.
- WEEE
- Registration with Producer Register Ltd; renewal by 31 January each year.
- Batteries
- Registration with Producer Register Ltd; renewal by 31 January each year; Irish authorized representative for distance sellers.
- Thresholds
- Major producer = 10 tonnes or more of packaging AND turnover above €1 million.
- Penalties
- Not confirmed in our sources; PPWR penalty rules are due EU-wide by 12 Feb 2027.
- Marketplace checks
- Amazon names Ireland in its EU packaging EPR notice and may need to stop selling non-compliant products; eBay may hide listings.
- What changed in 2026
- PPWR applies from 12 Aug 2026; next EEE/battery registration renewal due 31 Jan 2027.
What changed in 2026
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40) entered into force on 11 February 2025 and applies directly in Ireland from 12 August 2026. Which national implementing measures Ireland adopts alongside it is not yet confirmed in our sources – we track this and check the current position for you.
- Art. 45 PPWR: producers who sell packaged products directly to end users in another member state – whether EU or non-EU established – must appoint an authorized representative in each member state where they first make packaging available, other than their own. This includes Ireland.
- Pragmatic enforcement: the European Commission has asked member states to enforce the representative duty "in a constructive and pragmatic" way while an exemption is negotiated.
- Penalty rules: member states must lay down PPWR penalty rules by 12 February 2027.
- Marketplaces: Amazon's global notice of 25 March 2026 names Ireland among the countries where packaging EPR compliance applies from 12 August 2026.
Proposal – not yet law The EU Environmental Omnibus (COM(2025) 982) proposes suspending the representative duty for EU-established producers. The Council position of 21 October 2026 would exempt EU-established producers placing under 1 tonne of packaging per year in another member state until 2032; the European Parliament adopted its position on 20 October 2026. Trilogue follows. It does not cover non-EU sellers. More: PPWR 2026 update.
Packaging obligations in Ireland
Ireland's packaging rules centre on the "major producer" test. A major producer is a business with 10 tonnes or more of packaging and a turnover above €1 million. Major producers must join Repak, the Irish packaging compliance scheme. The option to self-comply ended on 1 January 2023.
| Criterion | Major producer |
|---|---|
| Packaging | 10 tonnes or more |
| Turnover | Above €1 million |
| Consequence | Must join Repak; self-compliance no longer possible since 1 Jan 2023 |
- Measure your Irish packaging. Record the packaging that reaches Irish customers, by material and weight, including shipping cartons and filling material.
- Apply the major-producer test. Both criteria count: 10 tonnes or more and turnover above €1 million.
- Join Repak if you are a major producer. Self-compliance is no longer an option.
- Check the representative duty. As a distance seller to Irish end users, Art. 45 PPWR applies; we confirm the current Irish route for you.
If you are below either criterion, do not assume you have no obligations at all – the PPWR applies directly. We check what applies to your volumes.
WEEE obligations (electrical and electronic equipment)
Producers of electrical and electronic equipment register with Producer Register Ltd. According to the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), distance sellers established outside Ireland who sell EEE to Irish customers must appoint an authorized representative in Ireland. The registration must be renewed by 31 January each year – the next renewal date is 31 January 2027.
Battery obligations
The same rules apply to batteries: distance sellers outside Ireland must appoint an Irish authorized representative and register with Producer Register Ltd, with annual renewal by 31 January. At EU level, the EPR regime of the Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 applies since 18 August 2025.
- From 18 February 2027 (reported): QR code on all batteries, removability and replaceability rules, and a battery passport for EV, LMT and industrial batteries above 2 kWh.
- 18 August 2027 (reported): due-diligence obligations, postponed by Regulation (EU) 2025/1561.
- Proposal – not yet law The EU Omnibus would also suspend the batteries representative duty under the Battery Regulation; Parliament voted on 20 October 2026, the Council position is pending.
Authorized representative in Ireland
An authorized representative is a business established in Ireland that fulfils the producer's obligations there on behalf of a seller established elsewhere. For EEE and batteries, the EPA requires one for distance sellers outside Ireland. For packaging, Art. 45 PPWR requires distance sellers to appoint one; Irish implementing details are not yet confirmed in our sources.
How Certify helps
- Free obligation check. Tell us what you sell, your approximate packaging volume and how you ship to Ireland.
- Route mapping. We check the Repak test, your Producer Register Ltd registration and the representative duty, and confirm the current route.
- Representation. Certify can act as your authorized representative and coordinate registration, renewal and reporting – also in the other EU countries you ship to.
More on the role: authorized representative explained (register-epr.com).
Deadlines relevant for Ireland
| Date | Scope | What happens | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2023 | Ireland packaging | Self-compliance ended; major producers must join Repak | Confirmed |
| 18 Aug 2025 | EU batteries | EPR regime of the Battery Regulation applies | Confirmed |
| 12 Aug 2026 | EU packaging | PPWR applies; representative duty for distance sellers (Art. 45) | Confirmed |
| 31 Jan 2027 | Ireland EEE/batteries | Annual producer registration renewal (Producer Register Ltd) | Confirmed |
| 12 Feb 2027 | EU | Member-state PPWR penalty rules due | Reported |
| 18 Feb 2027 | EU batteries | QR code, removability, battery passport (EV/LMT/industrial >2 kWh) | Reported |
All countries in one view: EPR deadline calendar 2026–2027.
Penalties in Ireland
Irish penalty amounts for packaging, WEEE or battery breaches are not confirmed in our sources, so we do not quote figures. EU-wide, member states must lay down PPWR penalty rules by 12 February 2027.
The practical risk is commercial: Amazon's notice of 25 March 2026 says Amazon may need to stop selling non-compliant products, and eBay may hide listings where the required EPR number is missing.
Frequently asked questions – EPR in Ireland
Do I have to join Repak?
Yes, if you are a major producer: a business with 10 tonnes or more of packaging and a turnover above €1 million. Major producers must join Repak.
Can I still self-comply with packaging rules in Ireland?
No. Self-compliance for packaging ended on 1 January 2023.
Do sellers outside Ireland need an Irish authorized representative for electrical equipment and batteries?
Yes. According to the EPA, distance sellers established outside Ireland who sell EEE or batteries to Irish customers must appoint an authorized representative in Ireland.
What is Producer Register Ltd?
Producer Register Ltd is the body with which producers of EEE and batteries register in Ireland. The registration must be renewed by 31 January each year.
Has Ireland adopted national PPWR measures?
Irish implementing measures are not confirmed in our sources. The PPWR applies directly from 12 August 2026, including the Art. 45 representative duty for distance sellers.
Can Amazon stop my listings in Ireland?
Amazon's global notice of 25 March 2026 names Ireland among the countries where packaging EPR compliance applies from 12 August 2026 and says Amazon may need to stop selling non-compliant products.
- gov.ie – New packaging and packaging waste rules signed into law
- EPA – Guidance for distance sellers of EEE and batteries (PDF)
- EUR-Lex – Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR)
- European Commission – EPR for packaging and small businesses
- Amazon Global Selling – notice of 25 March 2026
This page is general information, not legal advice. Last reviewed 27 October 2026.
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