Six approved systems,
and a measurable difference between them.
Austrian packaging licensing runs through an approved collection and recovery system. Household tariffs differ materially between systems, so the choice is a calculation on your material mix rather than a preference.
Indicative private-service pricing: Standard €474/year + €150 setup · licence tariffs are set and invoiced by the chosen system
✓ Free ✓ Human review ✓ No commitment
Timing depends on document completeness and independent registry and scheme review
The outcome
A documented system choice and an active participation record
- Written comparison of reviewed tariffs on your own material mix
- Contract concluded within the applicable deadline
- Participant number and participation confirmation retained
Each system decides its own admission and tariffs; the coordination body assigns the participant number
Participation is compulsory and time-limited
A party first placing household packaging on the Austrian market has to conclude a participation contract within two months. Six systems are approved for packaging, and their published household tariffs differ by up to two thirds on some categories while commercial tariffs are close to identical.
Primary sources · Reviewed 18 August 2026
What a system choice usually gets wrong
The best-known system is assumed to be the cheapest
It depends entirely on the material mix. One system is cheaper on paper, plastics and composites; another is far cheaper on metals, ceramics and textile packaging.
The comparison ignores the flat and minimum tariffs
At low volumes a minimum annual charge or a flat annual tariff can beat per-kilogram pricing. All three have to be compared, not just the per-kilogram card.
Switching is treated as impossible
Contracts run per calendar year with a notice period, and the participant number is reported to stay with the company across a switch. Confirm both before relying on them.
Included in the written scope.
- Material mix mapped to tariff categories after the binding allocation
- Written tariff comparison across the reviewed systems
- Flat, minimum and per-kilogram billing compared for your volume
- Contract preparation and coordination within the two-month deadline
- Participant number and participation confirmation filed as evidence
- Switching review before the annual notice window
Four controlled steps.
Document the facts
Collect the entity, products, channels, contracts and available evidence for the collection and recovery system contract.
Confirm scope and dependencies
Receive a written map of assumptions, exclusions, third parties and points requiring approval.
Authorise the agreed work
Private fees, external costs and client responsibilities are confirmed before any submission or commitment.
Coordinate and retain evidence
After a valid engagement, each action, external decision and authentic receipt is stored with its date and version.
Frequently asked
How many systems are approved?
Six systems are approved for packaging. This site compares the systems whose 2026 tariff sheets are published in a machine-readable form and states which ones were reviewed.
Can I contract with a system directly?
Since 2023 a distance seller without an Austrian seat is not able to carry out the licensing itself. The contract is concluded through the appointed representative.
Is the participant number the same as the register number?
No. The register entry produces a Global Location Number and the system contract produces the participant number. They come from different bodies.
What happens if I contract late?
The contract deadline runs from the first time household packaging is placed on the market, so a late file usually also needs earlier years reviewed.
Related steps
Service
Packaging allocation review
The allocation determines the tariff categories the comparison is built on.
Service
Annual quantity reporting
Plan the recurring duties that begin once participation starts.
Service
Authorised representative in Austria
The appointment is the step that makes the contract possible.
Discuss the facts with the team.
Independent private service · human scope review · no third-party outcome promised.
✓ Free ✓ Human review ✓ No commitment