Because we become answerable for your whole year, not just the days after you sign. Under article L. 541-10-9-1 of the Environmental Code the mandataire is subrogated in all the EPR obligations it accepts under the mandate. Those obligations run by calendar year: the declaration covers every unit you placed on the French market that year, including those sold before the mandate, and eco-organismes invoice it annually. A mandate signed in October therefore carries January to December. You pay the current year when you sign, and the plan renews every 1 January.Sources (2)
LégifranceLégifrance — article L. 541-10-9-1 of the Environmental Code (full text)
LékoLéko — Barème Emballages ménagers & Papiers 2026 (14 Nov 2025)
What the year covers
Eco-organisme declarations are annual. Léko's 2026 tariff, for example, invoices contributions of €10,000 or less once a year, by 31 March, on the year's placements on the market. Whoever files that declaration answers for the whole year.
When you pay
The current calendar year is paid when you sign up, with no setup fee. The plan then renews automatically every 1 January.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Légifrance — article L. 541-10-9-1 of the Environmental Code (full text)
- Léko — Barème Emballages ménagers & Papiers 2026 (14 Nov 2025)
Founder of EPR France Rep, the France-based EPR authorised representative for companies selling into France.
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