French EPR compliance,
for producers in Japan.
Japan is a non-EU jurisdiction for French EPR. A Japanese 株式会社 (kabushiki kaisha), 合同会社 (godo kaisha) or other registered business shipping packaged consumer goods to French addresses must designate a France-established mandataire REP. Our workflow handles Japanese-language documents via professional translation.
Why Japan exporters end up here.
Japanese brands in fashion, beauty, food, lifestyle and electronics target France for premium positioning. France is in the top-3 EU expansion markets for Japanese SMEs, alongside Germany and UK.
Appointing a representative is no longer optional.
Law n° 2026-602 of 8 July 2026 created Article L. 541-10-9-1 of the French Environment Code, in force on 10 July 2026. Any person with no establishment in France who is subject to Extended Producer Responsibility must appoint, by written mandate, a natural or legal person established in France, and that representative is subrogated into the EPR obligations for which it accepts the mandate. Until that date the appointment was an option; it is now a statutory obligation, and it covers all 19 French EPR streams rather than packaging alone.
Two consequences matter for Japan-based sellers. The test is establishment in France, not nationality and not EU membership, so nothing about your home jurisdiction exempts you. And if you already hold a French eco-organism membership with no representative recorded on the file, it no longer satisfies the statute on its own: a representative has to be appointed and the mandate registered with each eco-organism. That is a file update rather than a re-registration, so the IDU does not have to be lost.
Our breakdown of law n° 2026-602 sets out the scope, the three conditions of the mandate, how it reaches online marketplaces, and the regularisation path.
The documents we file for you.
- Business registration
- 履歴事項全部証明書 (rireki jiko zenbu shomeisho, complete corporate registry extract) issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau. Original Japanese + English translation accepted.
- Tax identifier
- 法人番号 (hōjin bangō, 13-digit corporate number). Optional: 消費税課税事業者 (consumption tax registration) if applicable.
- Invoicing & currency
- We invoice in EUR. Japanese kabushiki kaisha companies receive in JPY via international wire. Japanese consumption tax does not apply to our service (B2B export). No French VAT applies.
What Japan sellers need to watch.
Japanese-language document translation
Eco-organisms accept Japanese documents with English translation. We coordinate professional translation as part of dossier preparation. No certified translator required in most cases.
EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement context
The EU-Japan EPA (in force since 1 February 2019) reduces customs duties on most trade. Like other FTAs, it does not affect EPR, environmental law is separate.
PPWR Article 45 multiplier
From 12 August 2026, Japanese exporters shipping packaging to multiple Member States need a representative in each. We coordinate France + refer for DE, IT, ES, NL.
The streams Japan sellers most often need.
Household packaging
Required for any product sold to French consumers in packaging (boxes, polybags, fillers, bottles, jars).
Stream details →Electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
Required for any product with a plug, battery, cable or electronic component sold to French consumers.
Stream details →Textile, household linen and footwear (TLC)
Required for any apparel, linen or footwear product shipped to French consumers.
Stream details →Furniture (DEA)
Required for any item of furniture, mattress or bedding shipped to French consumers, plus most home decor.
Stream details →Portable batteries and accumulators
Required for standalone portable batteries, plus rechargeable cells embedded in any device.
Stream details →Toys
Required for any toy intended for use by children under 14, shipped to French consumers.
Stream details →Japan-specific questions.
- Japan has its own packaging recycling law (容器包装リサイクル法). Does it satisfy French requirements?
- No. The Japanese Container and Packaging Recycling Law (Yōki hōso risaikuru hō) covers Japanese-sold packaging only. It does not satisfy French obligations. Japanese exporters need independent French registration.
- My Japanese company has no English-language documents. Is that a blocker?
- No. We handle Japanese-to-English translation in-house or via professional translators. Standard translation timeline: 3-5 business days.
- Can I pay in JPY?
- Wire in JPY accepted via international transfer. Our books are in EUR; your bank converts on the wire.
- Established and registered in France
- No percentage on your eco-contributions or membership fees
- All 19 French EPR streams covered
- Statutory subrogation (law n° 2026-602, Art. L. 541-10-9-1)
Representative cases we handle
Anonymized examples of real mandates and scoping. Each producer sells into France without a French entity. (Named references available on request, with client consent.)
PC-hardware brand selling its own products D2C into France (cases, coolers, power supplies).
Scope: household packaging (Citeo or Léko) + WEEE (Ecosystem or Ecologic). We handle the adhesions, the IDU on ADEME SYDEREP and the declarations.
Automotive-parts seller shipping to French consumers from an EU warehouse.
Scope: consumer packaging. We act as the authorized representative for the packaging stream and file on their behalf.
Gardening and outdoor brand selling packaged goods into France via marketplaces.
Scope: packaging, with a scope check on WEEE for the powered items. Registration built to satisfy marketplace UIN requests.
Post-Brexit micro-brand with no French entity, shipping small orders into France.
Scope: packaging (cardboard, paper, compostable). Flat-fee regime mandate, kept proportionate to their volumes.
Multi-brand retailer preparing its entry into the French market.
Scope: multi-stream mapping across packaging, WEEE and batteries, sequenced so listings go live compliant.
Electronics seller with battery-powered products, no French establishment.
Scope: batteries (Batribox or Ecosystem) + WEEE. We compare eco-organisms on the real product mix and register with the best fit.