NEW GERMAN PACKAGING LAWS TAKE EFFECT IN 2009

As of January 2009, all new packaging sold in Germany must be registered with an officially recognized German recycler or risk a fine of 50,000 Euros (USD $77,855 ). 

As a basic rule, anyone introducing packaging materials to be discarded by the end user will be required to participate. The importer, not the manufacturer, is generally responsible for meeting the recycling and packaging requirements. Yet U.S. companies will likely face a new hurdle in selling into the market, as importers will be liable for all products they carry. Importers of overseas products are typically offering to register the packaging, though the cost of that registration is typically passed onto the manufacturer.  

For copies of the law and a question-and-answer document that SEMA has translated into English, contact Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org.