Article R. 543-290 makes the producer whoever manufactures under its own name for use in French buildings, or whoever imports or first places the product on the French market. The 2023 scope notice names three importers: the client of a French site who buys abroad, the company that buys abroad to install the products itself, and the distributor that buys abroad. Each pays “unless they can prove that the exporter itself contributed to the EPR for the products concerned”. A manufacturer established outside France can contribute itself by joining an eco-organisme through a representative established in France (article L. 541-10-9-1, mandatory since 10 July 2026 for producers not established in France).Sources (5)
Ministère de la Transition éMinistère de la Transition écologique — Produits et matériaux de construction du secteur du bâtiment (PMCB), page mise à jour le 24 novembre 2025Journal officielJournal officiel — Avis relatif au champ d'application de la filière REP PMCB, JO du 17 juin 2023 (NOR TREP2315866V)
LégifranceLégifrance — article L. 541-10-9-1 of the Environmental Code (full text)EcominéroEcominéro — Guide de la déclaration PMCB (juillet 2025), boîte à outils producteursValobatValobat — Adhésion, déclaration, facturation
The three importer cases
| Who buys from the foreign manufacturer | Producer if the manufacturer has not joined | Producer if the manufacturer has joined |
|---|---|---|
| A French distributor or builders' merchant | The distributor (importer) | The manufacturer; the distributor keeps the proof |
| A contractor that installs the products on its French sites | The contractor | The manufacturer |
| The end client of a French site (developer, owner) | The client | The manufacturer |
| Consumers through an online marketplace | The marketplace, unless the seller has complied | The manufacturer |
Ecominéro's declaration guide makes the same point for marketplaces, and says a foreign supplier “peut tout à fait adhérer à Ecominéro pour les PMCB vendus sur le territoire français” to simplify its French client's life. It also uses “importer” for goods from outside the EU and “introducteur” for goods from another EU country; both are producers. Sources (2)EcominéroEcominéro — Guide de la déclaration PMCB (juillet 2025), boîte à outils producteursMinistère de la Transition éMinistère de la Transition écologique — Produits et matériaux de construction du secteur du bâtiment (PMCB), page mise à jour le 24 novembre 2025
Why a foreign manufacturer joins
- French distributors prefer suppliers whose products arrive with the eco-contribution already paid; it removes a declaration and an invoice from their side.
- The eco-contribution is passed on visibly down the chain (Ecominéro's guide makes the pass-through mandatory for the first placer), so the price stays transparent. Ecominéro
- The manufacturer controls the product classification, which drives the rate, instead of several importers each guessing.
- One membership covers every French customer.
What the French importer should keep
The proof that the exporter contributed: the manufacturer's membership certificate or unique identifier (IDU) for the stream, and invoices showing the eco-contribution. Without it the importer remains liable. 
ADEME
How a representative saves you money here
- Your French customers stop paying the eco-contribution as importers, which makes your offer cheaper for them than an unregistered competitor's.
- We classify your products once, on the right lines, instead of each importer using its own (often dearer) reading.
- We pick the eco-organisme on your real mix: see the comparison. ADEME
Price
Our fee. Construction products are quoted separately, because the work depends on the eco-organisme (Ecominéro takes monthly declarations, Valobat one a year) and on your tonnage. Plus Pro starts at €990 a year for up to 10 tonnes; above that we send a written quote. Setup is €0. Eco-contributions go to the eco-organisme at its published rate, with 0% markup. See pricing or the construction products service.
Frequently asked questions
My French distributor says it already pays. Should I still join?
You do not have to, but then the distributor carries the cost and the paperwork. Many prefer suppliers who join, and a supplier who joins can show it on every invoice.
I sell from Germany to France. Am I an importer?
Goods from another EU country make the French buyer an “introducteur”. The rule is the same: the French buyer pays unless you have contributed.
Do I need a French company to join?
No. A company not established in France joins through an authorised representative established in France, which is what we are.
Is a marketplace liable for building products sold by third-party sellers?
Yes, unless the seller has complied, according to the Ecominéro declaration guide. Marketplaces therefore ask sellers for their IDU. Sources (2)ADEMEADEME — Filière REP PMCB : éco-organismes agréés, donnéesADEMEADEME — all about the unique identifier (IDU)
Razvan Toma is the founder of EPR France Rep, a France-established authorised representative (mandataire) for producers with no French establishment. He has worked in waste management and recycling since 2009, running waste-separation programmes inside large B2B organisations in France for clients including Chanel, Microsoft, Decathlon, Pirelli, IKEA, Vinci, Capgemini and E.Leclerc.
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