French EPR from the United States.
The full playbook for US brands selling into France.
Seven minute read. Last updated 21 May 2026.
US brands selling into France through Amazon FR, Shopify, TikTok Shop, or any direct channel are non-EU producers under French Extended Producer Responsibility law. The country of incorporation does not change this (Delaware, California, Wyoming all qualify as “outside the EU” from a French regulatory standpoint). What matters is the destination market: France.
This guide walks through the full registration sequence: what streams to register for, why you need a French authorized representative, how the IDU number you hear about works, and what it costs.
Step 1: Identify which EPR streams apply
France has around 25 EPR streams in total; about 10 of them are relevant to typical US e-commerce brands. The streams that catch most US sellers:
- Household packaging: every product shipped in a box, polybag, or container. Eco-organism: Citeo (default) or Léko. Stream page.
- WEEE: anything with a plug, battery, sensor, or electronic. Eco-organism: Ecosystem or Ecologic. Stream page.
- Batteries: standalone batteries OR batteries embedded in another product. Eco-organism: Corepile or Screlec. Stream page.
- Textile: apparel, household linen, footwear, even if shipped in 1-piece D2C orders. Eco-organism: Refashion. Stream page.
- Furniture: home and office furniture, mattresses, bedding. Eco-organism: Ecomaison (household) or Valdelia (professional). Stream page.
- Toys, sports, DIY: handled by Ecomaison too. Toys, sports/DIY.
Most US sellers need 2 to 4 of these streams in combination. A typical Amazon FBA electronics brand needs packaging + WEEE + batteries (3 streams). A Shopify apparel brand needs textile + packaging (2 streams). The mapping is what our onboarding form figures out.
Step 2: Understand why you need a French representative
Article 8a §5 of EU Directive 2008/98/EC, transposed into article L. 541-10 of the French Environment Code, allows non-EU producers to designate a French-based authorized representative to execute their EPR obligations. In practice, this is not a soft option: French eco-organisms decline to contract directly with non-EU entities, so the representative is the only path.
The representative signs the adherence contracts, obtains your IDU, files declarations, and pays eco-contributions, all in your name and on your behalf. You remain the producer for legal purposes (per the Conseil d’État ruling of 10 November 2023, case 449213, which annulled the regulatory subrogation clause). Read the EPR foundational guide for the legal architecture.
Step 3: The application sequence
- Apply through our get-registered form. Four short steps, about three minutes.
- Receive a written quote and scope within 24 hours.
- Sign the mandate electronically. No notary, no apostille.
- We register with each relevant eco-organism the same day.
- Receive your IDU number(s) within 2 to 3 weeks via ADEME SYDEREP.
- Plug the IDU into Amazon Seller Central and other marketplace dashboards.
Step 4: Costs
Two cost layers:
- Representative fee: €490 setup + €249 per month, per stream. Excludes VAT and eco-contributions. See pricing.
- Eco-contributions: paid by you to the eco-organism, based on your declared volumes. Scale varies widely by stream and material. Packaging eco-contribution for a typical Amazon FBA seller doing $200k/year of revenue into France runs around €1,500 to €4,000 per year. WEEE and batteries are typically smaller absolute amounts.
Common US-specific questions
Does my LLC structure matter? No. Delaware, California, Wyoming, single-member LLCs, C-corps: all treated as non-EU producers for French EPR. The trigger is the product placement, not the corporate structure.
Do I need a French bank account? No. Eco-contributions are paid via our representative invoicing, in EUR, from your USD or any other currency via standard international transfer or a Wise/Mercury bridge.
What if I already have German LUCID? LUCID covers Germany only. France has its own system. No reciprocity. Read about Citeo here.
What if Amazon already suspended me? Apply with “already suspended” status. We prioritise your file. Proof of registration usually within 48 to 72 hours, enough to lift the hold. Detailed recovery playbook here.
Bottom line
US to France EPR is administratively simpler than most US sellers fear. The substantive work is done by your representative. What you provide is product data (categories, materials, weights, volumes) and the mandate signature. Everything else, including the IDU, runs through us. Two to three weeks from mandate to fully operational compliance.
For a deeper look at country-specific specifics, see our US sellers page. For PPWR 2026 changes that affect packaging from August 2026 onward, see the PPWR guide.