Interregional Cooperation Agreement on Packaging
Belgium EPR — Interregional Cooperation Agreement on Packaging. The regulatory authority is Interregional Packaging Commission (IVC), operating through the Fost Plus / Valipac system.
All producers, importers, online sellers, and fulfillment service providers placing packaged goods on the Belgium market must register with a PRO and fulfill EPR obligations. Non-Belgium sellers must appoint an Authorized Representative.
Belgium has two complementary (not competing) approved compliance schemes, divided by packaging type. Producers must register with the Interregional Packaging Commission (IVC/CIE) and join the scheme matching their packaging stream:
Registration: IVC/CIE (Interregional Packaging Commission) — ivcie.be
Reporting & Deadlines: Annual by March 31. Packaging data must be reported by material type and weight. Reports are submitted through Fost Plus Portal.
Maximum Fine: €500,000. Non-compliance with Belgium EPR regulations can result in fines, marketplace listing deactivation, and legal consequences. Amazon and other marketplaces may independently verify compliance and suspend non-compliant sellers.
Distinct household vs commercial packaging reporting required
If you sell on Amazon, eBay, or other marketplaces and ship products to Belgium, you are responsible for EPR compliance in this market. The "pay on behalf" model is ending — marketplaces will no longer handle this for you. Register now to avoid listing deactivation.
Identify whether your packaging reaches household consumers (B2C) or commercial/industrial end users (B2B). This determines which compliance scheme you need. Many sellers need both.
Register with Fost Plus for household packaging and Val-I-Pac for industrial/commercial packaging. If you sell both B2C and B2B, you must register with both organizations.
Submit annual declarations detailing packaging volumes broken down by material type (glass, paper/cardboard, plastic, metal, wood). Reports must include weight data for each material category.
Enter your EPR registration numbers in Amazon Seller Central under EPR compliance settings. Other marketplaces may have similar upload requirements.
Submit annual packaging declarations to your compliance scheme(s). Fost Plus and Val-I-Pac each have their own reporting portals and deadlines.
Belgium's three-region structure (Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels-Capital) adds complexity to packaging compliance. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will harmonize rules across all EU member states, potentially simplifying the multi-regional Belgian landscape.
Key PPWR changes include new recyclability requirements, recycled content targets, and standardized EU-wide labeling. The Belgian Cooperation Agreement on Packaging Waste (Samenwerkingsakkoord) will be gradually superseded by PPWR provisions.
If your company manufactures products outside the EU and exports them to the European market, PPWR requires you to prove that your packaging meets EU sustainability standards — before your goods cross the border. ekoniq prepares the complete PPWR compliance package so you can export with confidence.
What we deliver (15–18 documents):
✓ Full Technical Documentation (Annex VII, Module A)
✓ EU Declaration of Conformity (Annex VIII)
✓ Recyclability assessment of all packaging
✓ Substance restriction verification (PFAS, heavy metals)
✓ Recycled content declaration
✓ Packaging minimisation statement
✓ Labeling guidance (material codes, sorting pictograms, QR)
✓ Accredited lab testing coordination (SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas)
✓ EPR registration in target EU countries
✓ Authorised Representative appointment (Article 45)
If you sell both to consumers and businesses, you need both registrations. Many sellers only register with Fost Plus and miss their Val-I-Pac obligation for commercial packaging.
Belgium has three regions (Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels-Capital) with coordinated but separate enforcement. While the Cooperation Agreement harmonizes rules, regional inspections and penalties can vary.
The line between household and industrial packaging is not always obvious. A product sold on Amazon to a consumer is household packaging even if the same product is also sold B2B.
Non-Belgian sellers must appoint an Authorized Representative established in Belgium to handle EPR obligations. Selling into Belgium without an AR is a compliance violation.
All packaging layers count: primary (product packaging), secondary (grouped packaging), and tertiary (transport packaging). Forgetting secondary or transport packaging leads to underreporting.
Fost Plus handles household (B2C) packaging — any packaging that ends up with consumers at home. Val-I-Pac covers industrial and commercial (B2B) packaging — packaging used in business-to-business transactions. They are complementary, not competing schemes. Most Amazon and marketplace sellers need Fost Plus, but if you also distribute products to businesses, you need Val-I-Pac as well.
It depends on your sales channels. If you sell packaged goods exclusively to consumers (B2C) — for example, only via Amazon — then Fost Plus alone may be sufficient. If you also sell to businesses (B2B), you must additionally register with Val-I-Pac. When in doubt, contact us for a free assessment of your obligations.
Belgium's three regions — Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels-Capital — each have their own environmental agency and enforcement authority. The Interregional Cooperation Agreement on Packaging harmonizes the core rules, so a single registration with Fost Plus and/or Val-I-Pac covers all three regions. However, regional inspections, penalties, and administrative practices can differ.
Yes. If you are not established in Belgium but place packaged goods on the Belgian market (including via Amazon FBA with Belgian fulfillment), you must appoint an Authorized Representative established in Belgium. The AR handles your EPR registration, reporting, and compliance obligations on your behalf. ekoniq can act as your Authorized Representative in Belgium.
You must report all packaging by material type: glass, paper and cardboard, plastic, metal, and wood. Reports must include weight data for each material category and cover all packaging layers — primary (product packaging), secondary (grouped packaging), and tertiary (transport packaging).
If you need both Fost Plus and Val-I-Pac but only register with one, you are non-compliant for the packaging stream you missed. This can result in fines of up to €500,000 and potential marketplace listing deactivation. Regional inspectors may identify the gap during audits.
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will introduce harmonized rules across all member states, including new recyclability requirements, recycled content targets, and standardized labeling. For Belgium specifically, the Cooperation Agreement on Packaging Waste (Samenwerkingsakkoord) will be gradually superseded by PPWR provisions, potentially simplifying the multi-regional compliance landscape.
A comprehensive overview of EPR requirements in every EU member state for online sellers and marketplace operators.
Key changes under the new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and how they affect your business.
Step-by-step instructions for entering your EPR registration numbers in Amazon Seller Central.
Complete guide to registering with LUCID and choosing a dual system for German packaging compliance.
ekoniq handles your complete EPR registration and compliance. We take care of registration, reporting, and ongoing obligations so you can focus on selling.
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