Licensing country:
Austria
Language:
English
Language
Österreich EN

FAQ

 
 

Information material (only available in German)

 

  • Folder „Verpackungslizenzierung leicht gemacht“ – PDF

  • Packaging Classification Ordinance (VerpackungsabgrenzungsV) - PDF

  • VM-Produktgruppendatenblätter AT 2016 – PDF

 

Please note that you must apply the Packaging Classification Ordinance (VerpackungsabgrenzungsV) valid since 1/1/2015 - to allocate your quantities.

 

FAQ

Questions regarding activate - by Reclay

 

 

 

Questions regarding the Packaging Ordinance (Verpackungsverordnung)

 

 

 

What advantages do I have with activate - by Reclay?

No minimum order quantity, full flexibility

With activate - by Reclay, you can individually license the quantities of sales and/or transport packaging you place on the market. You can repeat this process as often as you wish (up to EUR 1500 per year) without having to conclude a contract with a fixed term. After the online licensing you will directly receive your confirmation of participation.

100 percent legal certainty

With Reclay in Austria you have a partner at your side that has been trusted for more than ten years by over 3,000 customers from trade, industry and commerce for the collection and recycling of their packaging.

License to go

You enter your quantities, pay online and immediately receive your confirmation of participation. All confirmations as well as the corresponding invoices can be accessed anytime in your personal customer account.

Who was activate - by Reclay developed for?

A large number of customers have very small quantities of packaging which they place on the market. The resulting obligation to participate in a system costs between a few and several hundred euros. In order to avoid high minimum fees for these customers, activate - by Reclay was developed.

Which benefits does activate - by Reclay offer in comparison to other licensing platforms?

Attractive conditions even for small quantities

activate - by Reclay offers you attractive conditions based on the official price list of the collection and recycling system Reclay Systems GmbH. Licensing is already possible starting from 1 kilogram.

How does activate - by Reclay work?

Why do I have to pay a handling fee?

This amount covers all expenses (reporting your quantities to the Ministry, bank charges and internal administrative expenses) incurred as a result of your reporting. You do not pay more than the amount stated.

activate - by Reclay works simply and quickly. You will receive your confirmation of participation in just four steps:

  1. Step 1: You register or sign in with you login data.
  2. Step 2: You choose the license year and enter your packaging quantities.
  3. Step 3: You check your details and select a payment method.
  4. Step 4: You will receive a confirmation of participation by email about the quantities involved and your invoice.

 

What payment options does activate by Reclay offer?

At activate - by Reclay you can pay with the following payment methods:

 

  • SEPA Direct Debit: With this method you can have the invoice amount debited from your bank account: (3 days)
  • PayPal: Pay safely and easily via PayPal. The payment is credited to the payee immediately and your payment data is not forwarded to activate - by Reclay. (direct)
  • Immediate bank transfer: The payment system automatically transfers the requested amount to the payee. (1-3 days)

 

How do I determine the amount of my license quantities?

In a first step you determine the type of packaging materials and their respective weight. You assign the packaging materials to the following tariff categories of this system:

Household Packaging

 

  • Paper household
  • Glass household
  • Ferrous metal household
  • Aluminium household
  • Plastics household
  • Beverage composite cardboard household
  • Other composites household
  • Ceramics household
  • Wood household
  • Textile fabrics/fibres household
  • Organically based packaging materials household

 

Commercial Packaging

 

  • Paper commercial
  • Ferrous metal commercial
  • Aluminium commercial
  • Foils commercial
  • Hollow bodies commercial
  • EPS commercial
  • Other composites commercial
  • Ceramics commercial
  • Wood commercial
  • Textile fabrics/fibres commercial
  • Organically based packaging materials commercial

 

You can download the Packaging Classification Ordinance (VerpackungsabgrenzungsV) with the corresponding quotas under the point Information material above (only available in German).

The packaging quantities to be licensed can be calculated on the basis of your sales or import quantities. With activate - by Reclay you can then license quickly and easily the quantities per fraction online.

What features does "My Account" offer?

Under “My Account” you can find the following functions:

 

  • Change password
  • Change of personal data (master data)
  • Access to all licensing documents (invoices and confirmations of participation)

 

How do I keep track of my licensed quantities?

Under "My Account" you can get an overview of all quantity reports already made. Each invoice as well as a corresponding confirmation of participation for your licensed quantities per fraction can be seen there.

What if I have licensed more quantity than I actually put on the market?

Quantities already licensed cannot be taken back with activate - by Reclay. However, the online portal offers you the opportunity to license your quantities as often and as small as necessary.

What if I licensed more than I actually put on the market?

Quantities already licensed can no longer be taken back with activate - by Reclay. With the online portal, however, you have the option of licensing your quantities as often and in as small a number as necessary.

 

What do I need to know in general to license packaging at activate - by Reclay?

This agreement does not release you from any existing contractual obligations with other systems and licensing companies.

Which packaging materials must be licensed?

Household Packaging

 

  • Paper household
  • Glass household
  • Ferrous metal household
  • Aluminium household
  • Plastics household
  • Beverage composite cardboard household
  • Other composites household
  • Ceramics household
  • Wood household
  • Textile fabrics/fibres household
  • Organically based packaging materials household

 

Commercial Packaging

 

  • Paper commercial
  • Ferrous metal commercial
  • Aluminium commercial
  • Foils commercial
  • Hollow bodies commercial
  • EPS commercial
  • Other composites commercial
  • Ceramics commercial
  • Wood commercial
  • Textile fabrics/fibres commercial
  • Organically based packaging materials commercial

 

What are the consequences if I do not license my packaging?

Anyone who does not license his packaging properly is violating the Packaging Ordinance. As a result, inspections by the Ministry of the Environment can result in administrative penalties for the company and criminal proceedings for the managing director, combined with additional payments and coverage of the auditing costs (which often amount to a multiple of the actual licensing costs).

Who checks whether I license my packaging?

The Austrian Packaging Coordination Office “VKS Verpackungskoordinierungsstelle gemeinnützige GmbH” of the Environment Agency Austria and the Ministry of the Environment itself are responsible for the audit.

Do I also have to license packaging aids and filling materials?

Yes, such materials belong to the packaging because of their function. Whether packaging aids (packing tapes, strapping, staples and wrapping paper) or filling and cushioning materials (e.g. bubble wrap and newspaper) - everything must be reported according to the tariff category.

 

Questions regarding the Packaging Ordinance (Verpackungsverordnung)

What is considered as household packaging?

Household packaging' is defined as packaging having the following size:

 

  • an area of up to and including 1,5 square metres, or
  • in the case of hollow bodies, a nominal filling volume up to and including 5 litres, or
  • in the case of expanded polystyrene (EPS - e.g. polystyrene) packaging, a mass of up to and including 0,15 kg per sales unit

 

and which are normally generated in private households or at sources of waste generation comparable to households in terms of the packaging generated.

The collection points comparable with households include restaurants, hotels, canteens, tobacconists, administrative buildings, etc. Packaging made of paper, cardboard, paperboard and corrugated board that meets the definition of sales packaging is considered household packaging regardless of its size, provided that it is generated in households or comparable sources of waste generation.

Service packaging, carrier bags and knotted bags are generally considered household packaging regardless of their size.

What is considered as commercial packaging?

The following packaging is considered to be "commercial packaging":

 

  • packaging which is not household packaging
  • Paper packaging that meets the definition of transport packaging
  • pallets as well as strapping and tapes and
  • The proportion of packaging which in principle corresponds to the definition of household packaging, but which has been determined in the Packaging Classification Ordinance (VerpackungsabgrenzungsV) as being generated in different sources of waste generation than in the sources comparable to households.

 

What is sales packaging?

Sales packaging is packaging that is used by the end consumer or a third party on his behalf until consumption or until the goods are used.

What is transport packaging?

The Packaging Ordinance 2014 defines transport packaging as packaging which serves to protect goods from damage either on the way from the manufacturer to the distributor or on the way via the distributor to the final consumer, or which is used for reasons of transport safety.

What is considered as a source of waste generation?

A source of waste generation is the place where packaging materials accumulate as waste.

Who are the primarily obligated parties?

The primary obligated parties for packaging are the following persons who, irrespective of the distribution method, including distance sales, place packaging on the Austrian market on a commercial basis:

 

  • Manufacturers and importers of service packaging with seat or branch in Austria,
  • Packers with their seat or branch in Austria regarding the packaging they use for the first time, which is not service packaging,
  • Importers with their seat or branch in Austria regarding the packaging of the goods they import,
  • Original importers with their seat or branch in Austria concerning the packaging of goods that are purchased from abroad for the operation of their own business and which accumulate as waste in the company, and
  • Mail order companies which do not have a seat or branch in Austria and hand over the packaging or goods in packaging to a private final consumer in Austria in the course of distance selling.

 

What is a collection and recycling system?

Companies that take over the collection and recycling of packaging system materials and that are authorised by the Ministry of the Environment ('third parties' within the meaning of the Packaging Ordinance).

What is a pre-licensing confirmation?

We would like to inform you that under the VVO you are obliged to inform your customers (not private final consumers) of the collection and recycling system under which you are exempted from your obligations.

Please note that the information on who fulfils the obligations regarding packaging licensing must now be provided in advance or at the latest with the delivery document!

If you inform your customer(s) about the licensing situation via an invoice addition or on delivery documents, please use the following sentence

"All packaging delivered to you will be properly discharged by Reclay Systems GmbH in accordance with the Packaging Ordinance.

It is not necessary to state the licence number.

Alternatively, you can also send a pre-licensing confirmation. If you need a template, you are welcome to request it at [email protected].

What do you have to consider as an online mail order company?

You are a mail order company that delivers to private consumers - in this case you need to consider the following facts:

If you are a mail-order company in Austria, you must license the packaging you use additionally for shipping your products as well as all packaging you obtain from abroad (product packaging / sales packaging).

For all imported products, you must ensure that the product group (according to the Packaging Classification Ordinance) is used correctly.

Are you a mail order company abroad? Then please note that not only the shipping packaging (transport packaging) has to be discharged, but also all product packaging you obtain/use (sales packaging). Each of these product packaging must be assigned to the corresponding product group according to the Packaging Classification Ordinance (VerpackungsbgrenzungsV).

The following applies to both: The additionally used shipping packaging (=transport packaging) must be assigned to the product group “AT 32 Versandhandel” (mail order).

Example of online shop selling jewellery to private consumers in Austria:

First, the product packaging must be assigned to the correct product group. Jewellery belongs to “AT 28 Haushalt, Spiel und Sport” (household, games and sports). The product packaging consists for example of plastic and paper and fulfils the criteria of household packaging. According to the product group AT 28, this packaging remains 100% in the household category.

Packaging which is used in addition for shipments to final consumers (cardboard boxes, bags, cushioning, tapes and other packaging materials) belongs to product group “AT 32 Versandhandel” (mail order).

The following distribution needs to be considered for shipping packaging:

 

  • Shipping cartons: 92% paper household, 8% paper commercial
  • Plastic bags and cushioning material made of plastic: 93% plastic household, 7% foils commercial.
  • Air-cushioned shipping bags: 96% other composites household, 4% other composites commercial.
  • Tapes made of plastic: 91% plastic household, 9% commercial foils.
  • Tapes made of paper: 100% commercial paper.

 

 

 

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