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Use case · Existing members

We already have a Citeo IDU. Do we now need a French representative?

Yes, if your company is not established in France.

Free EPR Calculator →Do I need a representative?
Razvan TomaBy Razvan Toma · Founder
Last updated 15 September 2026Sources linked below
Quick answer

Yes, if your company is not established in France. Your IDUs stay valid, but since 10 July 2026 article L. 541-10-9-1 requires every producer not established in France to act through a French representative. Eco-organismes are asking existing foreign members to designate one and send the mandate so the membership can be updated; Léko has published the steps. Nothing is re-registered from scratch; the representative takes over the existing membership.

What the eco-organismes are asking

Léko's notice of 21 July 2026 sets out the procedure for members established abroad: identify a representative, sign a written mandate, and send the mandate to the eco-organisme so it can update the membership. Citeo has a referencing process for professional representatives and a central platform for their clients. Producers who do not comply risk suspension of their membership, and with it the IDU that marketplaces check.

What does not change

  • Your IDU numbers: they are attached to your company and stream, not to who administers them.
  • Your eco-contributions: same tariff, same eco-organisme unless you decide to switch.
  • Your declaration history and deadlines.

What changes

  • The eco-organisme's contact becomes the representative, who is subrogated in the obligations covered by the mandate.
  • Declarations are filed by the representative from your data.
  • Eco-contributions are prepaid to the representative, who pays the eco-organisme.

Switching from a self-managed membership to us

We review your existing memberships and IDUs, sign the mandate, notify each eco-organisme and take over the next declaration. No gap, no new IDU.

Frequently asked questions

Will I get a new IDU?

No. The IDU stays; only the administrator of the membership changes.

Can I keep managing declarations myself and just name a representative on paper?

The law makes the representative responsible for the obligations covered by the mandate, so a purely nominal mandate is not something a serious representative will sign. Under our plans the declarations go through us, from your data.

Is there a deadline to comply?

The obligation has applied since 10 July 2026. Eco-organismes are contacting foreign members now; act before your next declaration.

Sources

Razvan Toma
Written byRazvan Toma

Founder of EPR France Rep, the France-based EPR authorised representative for companies selling into France.

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