Importing into Romania from outside the EU
With goods sourced outside the EU there is no foreign registration to lean on. Whoever first places the goods on the Romanian market is the producer under Romanian law, and every obligation attaches to that company: registration per stream, covering recycling targets through a licensed organisation, and a monthly declaration to the Environmental Fund Administration. In most cases that company is the Romanian importer.
Who is the producer when goods come from outside the EU
A supplier established outside the EU is not registered in Romania and cannot be. The law therefore looks at the first company that makes the goods available on the Romanian market. If a Romanian company imports, clears customs and then sells, that company is the producer for packaging, for electrical and electronic equipment, and for batteries.
The alternative arrangement is for the non-EU brand to appoint an authorised representative established in Romania, who registers and reports on its behalf. That is the route brands take when they want to sell into Romania under their own name rather than through a local importer.
What typically applies to an import mix
| Stream | When it applies | What is reported |
|---|---|---|
| Packaging | Almost always: transport cartons, pallets, film, inner boxes and retail packaging | Quantities per material, monthly, by the 25th of the following month |
| Electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) | Anything with a plug, a battery compartment or electronics inside | Units and weight per equipment category, plus take-back through a collective scheme |
| Batteries and accumulators | Loose batteries and batteries built into or shipped with a product | Weight and type per battery chemistry, separately from the product itself |
| Packaging you add in Romania | Repacking, kitting, own-brand boxes, courier packaging for online orders | Counted as your own packaging, on top of what arrived |
One shipment can trigger three registrations at once: an electric kettle in a carton with a remote and a battery covers packaging, equipment and batteries.
Why the supplier's own compliance does not help
- A certificate from a factory outside the EU has no standing in the Romanian producer register.
- Compliance the supplier holds for another market covers that market only.
- Customs clearance settles duty and VAT; it does not register you as a producer or file anything for you.
- Nobody in the chain files on your behalf by default, and no authority notifies you that you should have started.
- The obligation begins with the first goods sold, not once a volume threshold is passed.
What has to be in place before the first shipment is sold
- 1Assessment of the product range
We go through your article list and say which streams apply, per product group, in writing.
- 2Registration per stream
Producer registration in Romania for packaging and, where relevant, for equipment and batteries.
- 3A licensed organisation
A contract with a licensed Romanian producer responsibility organisation covers your recycling targets.
- 4The monthly routine
You send units and weights once a month; we calculate, file and tell you the exact amount and payment reference.
If you have been importing for a while already
Frequently asked questions
We import and resell only in Romania. Does EPR still apply?
Yes. Placing goods on the Romanian market is exactly what creates the obligation, and importing from outside the EU means it lands on you rather than on a foreign producer.
Our supplier says the packaging is already covered. Is it?
Not for Romania. A declaration from a non-EU supplier has no effect in the Romanian register; the quantities you place on the market here have to be declared here.
We are a brand outside the EU without a Romanian company. Can we still sell here?
Yes, by appointing an authorised representative established in Romania who registers and reports for you. We take that role.
How much will it cost?
It depends on volume, materials and how many streams apply, so we quote after a short assessment. We do not publish fixed prices, because a genuine figure needs your actual quantities.
Tell us what you sell in Romania
Send us your product and packaging types and roughly how much you ship to Romania. We reply with the obligations that apply to you and what registration would involve.