Neither — you need both, and they are not alternatives. The eco-organisme (Citeo, Léko, Refashion, Ecomaison and the rest) is the scheme you pay to have your packaging or products collected and recycled. The mandataire is the France-established company that is legally allowed to hold that membership and file the declarations on your behalf. A producer established in France deals with the eco-organisme directly and needs no mandataire. A producer not established in France has needed one since 10 July 2026, and the membership is held through it. The real choice you do make is which eco-organisme, where a stream has more than one approved.
Two layers, side by side
| Eco-organisme | Mandataire (representative) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An approved scheme that collects and recycles | A company established in France that carries your EPR obligations |
| Who they are | Citeo, Léko, Refashion, Ecomaison, Valdelia, Ecologic, ecosystem… | Any person or company established in France acting under written mandate |
| What you pay | Eco-contributions, at each scheme's published tariff | A service fee |
| Who needs it | Every producer, French or foreign | Only producers not established in France |
| Can you skip it | No | Only if you are established in France |
So the question is never "Citeo or a representative". It is "which eco-organisme, and who holds the membership".
Can I just join Citeo directly?
If your company is established in France, yes — join, declare, pay, and no mandataire is involved at any point.
If it is not, that route closed on 10 July 2026. Article L. 541-10-9-1 requires a producer not established in France to designate a mandataire established in France by written mandate, and that mandataire is subrogated in the obligations it accepts. The membership and the declarations sit under the mandate. Thousands of foreign companies had joined Citeo, Léko, Refashion or Ecomaison directly before that date; those memberships are valid and stay, they simply have to be carried by a mandataire now.
I already have a Citeo membership. What actually changes?
Less than people expect.
- Your identifiers stay. Nothing is re-registered and you keep your IDU per stream.
- Your declaration history stays. Filings already made stand and are not redone.
- Your eco-contributions are not paid twice. They are paid once for the period declared.
- The membership is transferred into the mandate, and from the next declaration period the mandataire checks and files, and answers to ADEME.
Which eco-organisme, where there is a choice
Some streams have competing approved schemes and some have one. Where there is more than one, the tariffs and the eco-modulation differ, so it is worth comparing rather than defaulting.
| Stream | Approved schemes | A choice? |
|---|---|---|
| Household packaging | Citeo, Léko | Yes |
| Professional packaging | Citeo Pro, Léko Pro | Yes |
| Textiles, linen, footwear | Refashion | No |
| Furniture and DIY | Ecomaison, Valdelia | Yes |
| Electricals (EEE) | Ecologic, ecosystem | Yes |
What it costs, in both layers
The two layers are billed separately and they behave differently. Eco-contributions scale with what you put on the market; the service fee does not.
Eco-contributions follow each scheme's published tariff. Indicative 2026 professional packaging rates: plastics €217.80–217.90 per tonne, paper and cardboard €34.70–34.72 per tonne, wood €8.08–9.00 per tonne, and a flat fee of €95–125 excl. VAT per half-year at or below 2 tonnes. We pass these through at cost with 0% markup — the calculator runs your own numbers.
The service fee is fixed: €990 a year for one stream with a one-time €490 setup, or €1,690 for up to three streams with a €690 setup. It does not move with your sales volume, because the work does not: the same mandate, the same memberships, the same declarations.
The consequence is worth knowing before you choose. A small seller pays little in eco-contributions and the service fee is the larger line; a big seller pays a great deal in eco-contributions and the service fee becomes rounding. Compare on the total of both layers, never on one.
What to check before you commit
- How many streams you actually fall under — packaging is almost always one of them, and it is rarely the only one.
- Whether a stream gives you a choice of scheme, and how the tariffs compare for your materials.
- Whether a marketplace already covers you. The second paragraph of the article treats the duty as satisfied for products where a marketplace established in France ensures the obligations for them.
- What is quoted to you. A quote that merges the service fee and the eco-contributions into one number hides which half is at cost.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need both an eco-organisme and a representative?
If you are not established in France, yes. They are different layers: the eco-organisme is the scheme that collects and recycles and that you pay eco-contributions to, and the mandataire is the France-established company legally allowed to hold that membership and file your declarations. A producer established in France needs only the eco-organisme.
Can I join Citeo directly without a representative?
Only if your company is established in France. Since 10 July 2026, a producer not established in France designates a mandataire established in France by written mandate, and the membership and declarations are held through it.
I already have a Citeo membership. Why would I need a representative?
Because since 10 July 2026 the membership has to be held by a mandataire established in France. Nothing is re-registered: your identifiers stay valid, your declaration history stands, the contributions you have paid are not paid again, and the membership is transferred into the mandate.
Citeo or Léko — which should I choose?
Both are approved for household and professional packaging, so it is a real choice. Their tariffs and eco-modulation differ by material, so compare against your own materials and tonnages rather than defaulting to the better-known name.
Does the representative choose the eco-organisme for me?
It depends on the plan. On Essential we pick one for you; on Standard we compare all approved schemes for your streams and review the eco-modulation. Either way you stay the producer and the choice is yours to approve.
Is using a representative more expensive than going direct?
There is a service fee that a French-established company would not pay, and the eco-contributions are the same either way when they are passed through at cost. For a producer not established in France, going direct is not an available option to compare against — it stopped being one on 10 July 2026.
Sources
- Légifrance — article L. 541-10-9-1 of the Environmental Code (full text)
- Légifrance — Code de l'environnement
- Léko — Barème Emballages ménagers & Papiers 2026 (14 Nov 2025)
- Citeo Pro — Guide du tarif EPRO 2026
- Refashion — Barèmes éco-contribution 2026
- Ecomaison — Guide des tarifs Ameublement 2026 (March 2026 update)
Founder of EPR France Rep, the France-based EPR authorised representative for companies selling into France.
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