What is the EDM portal in Austria?

The Elektronisches Datenmanagement (EDM) portal is Austria's consolidated national register for environmental compliance. It is operated by the Umweltbundesamt, letting producers manage their extended producer responsibility obligations for packaging, electronics, batteries, and other streams in one place.

Do foreign online sellers need an authorised representative for Austria?

Yes. If your business is based outside Austria and you sell packaged goods, electronics, or batteries directly to Austrian consumers, you are legally required to appoint a local authorised representative. That entity assumes legal responsibility for your compliance with Austrian administrative law.

Does Austria have a deposit-return system for beverage containers?

Austria is introducing a deposit-return system (Einwegpfand) for single-use plastic beverage bottles and metal cans to meet EU collection targets. It operates separately from the standard dual-system packaging licence, so beverage producers must participate in the dedicated return scheme on top of their normal packaging duties.

EPRCompliancePackagingE-commerceAustria

EPR in Austria: The EDM Register & ARA Fees

If you sell into Austria, you register through the EDM portal and join a dual system like ARA. Here are the compliance steps and fee mechanics.

By Daniel Vaknine16 July 20267 min read

The rooftops of central Vienna at dusk, the dark dome and spires of the Votivkirche rising above tiled roofs under a soft pink sky

At a glance

EPR streams in Austria

Each stream carries its own producer duty, register and deadline here.

Active now

· 7

PackagingIn force
WEEE / electronicsIn force since 4 July 2012
BatteriesIn force since 18 August 2025
Single-use plasticsIn force since 3 July 2021
End-of-life vehiclesIn force since 21 October 2000
TyresIn force
Waste oilsIn force

Upcoming

· 2

TextilesFrom 17 April 2028
Fishing gearFrom 31 December 2024

1 producer register

EDM

Facts last reviewed 16 July 2026

If you ship physical products to Austrian consumers, you are legally obligated to finance the end-of-life recycling of your packaging and products under Extended Producer Responsibility rules. Marketplaces like Amazon now actively enforce these rules, requiring valid EPR registration numbers to keep your Austrian listings active.

Austria's approach to Extended Producer Responsibility stands out for its high degree of central consolidation. Rather than forcing merchants to navigate a separate authority portal for every waste stream, the Austrian government runs almost all obligations through a single national register. Here is how to handle your Austrian reporting duties, work with the local systems, and avoid marketplace delisting.

Who has to comply, and the thresholds

Under Austrian law, the compliance duty falls on the producer, the entity that first places the packaging or covered product onto the Austrian market. For cross-border e-commerce, that means if you are based outside Austria and distribute products directly to Austrian end users through online sales, you are the obligated party. Distance sellers have to secure the proper registrations before they begin selling.

Unlike other European markets with fragmented registries, Austria consolidates almost all EPR compliance, from packaging and electronics to batteries and tyres, through the single EDM national portal.

There is no generic exemption that lets foreign distance sellers off the core Austrian packaging ordinance rules. To meet your obligations, you register your company on the national portal and conclude a commercial contract with an approved producer responsibility organisation (PRO) or dual system. On top of that, if your business is established outside Austria, you are legally required to appoint an authorised representative located in Austria to take responsibility for your compliance with the administrative rules on packaging, electronics, and batteries.

Which registers apply in Austria

The national register for Austria is the Elektronisches Datenmanagement (EDM) portal, operated by Umweltbundesamt GmbH (Environment Agency Austria) on behalf of the ministry. You use the EDM portal to lodge your compliance across multiple waste streams.

Packaging

Under the Verpackungsverordnung 2014 (BGBl. II 184/2014), packaging compliance runs through a dual-system licence. Once registered on the EDM, you sign an agreement with an approved PRO, and ARA (Altstoff Recycling Austria) is the primary and dominant dual system in the country. As with packaging compliance in Germany, you report the exact weights of the packaging you introduce to the market, and the PRO invoices you based on fees specific to each material type such as plastic, paper, or glass.

Electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

Austria enforces the WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU, in force since 4 July 2012. Producers and importers placing electrical and electronic equipment on the market must register via the EDM portal and join an approved collection and recycling scheme. Foreign online sellers distributing directly to Austrian end consumers must appoint an authorised representative to handle these Austrian WEEE requirements.

Batteries

If you sell portable batteries, industrial batteries, or products containing batteries, you must comply with the EU Batteries Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, whose EPR obligations have been in force since 18 August 2025. You register through the EDM, affiliate with an approved PRO, and report the quantities of batteries placed on the market. Non-Austrian distance sellers must also appoint a local authorised representative for battery compliance.

Single-use plastics

Single-use plastics are regulated under the SUP Directive (EU) 2019/904, which entered into force on 3 July 2021. Registration and reporting for SUP items are managed centrally through the EDM portal under the oversight of Umweltbundesamt GmbH.

End-of-life vehicles

For automotive components, the ELV Directive 2000/53/EC has been in force since 21 October 2000. Obligated producers register their compliance via the EDM.

Tyres and waste oils

Austria operates national schemes for both tyres and waste oils, the latter falling under the broader Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC. Both streams use the EDM portal as the single registration and reporting gateway supervised by Umweltbundesamt GmbH.

Registering and reporting through the EDM

As a foreign distance seller, your first step to legal compliance is setting up your company profile on the Elektronisches Datenmanagement (EDM) portal at edm.gv.at. This system, operated by the Umweltbundesamt, is your central gateway. Once you create your account and submit your business details, you receive official registration numbers that prove your legal standing to sell into Austria.

Registering on the EDM portal does not complete your obligations, though. For packaging, compliance is a strict two-step process. First, you secure your state registration via the EDM. Second, you sign a commercial participation contract with an approved dual system, such as ARA. These are distinct requirements: the EDM tracks your legal registration status, while the dual system handles the physical recycling of your materials and collects your financial contributions.

Once both accounts are active, you enter the standard reporting cycle. You submit periodic declarations detailing the exact quantities and material weights of the packaging you place on the Austrian market. You send these material reports to your chosen dual system, which calculates your invoice based on those weights and reconciles the data with the national authorities.

What it costs

Your financial obligations for Austrian compliance split into registration, representation, and material recycling fees. For packaging, the cost is driven by the exact weight and material types you place on the market. Once registered, you pay a per-kilogram fee to your chosen dual system, such as Altstoff Recycling Austria (ARA). Rates vary significantly by material: highly recyclable materials like paper carry lower base fees, while complex or hard-to-recycle plastics are considerably more expensive.

If you are a distance seller based outside the country, you also factor in the cost of hiring an Austrian authorised representative to hold your legal mandate, which is a common duty when you work out which EPR registrations you need. That is a commercial service fee paid directly to your local partner.

Ignoring these costs carries immediate commercial risk. The Umweltbundesamt actively oversees the EDM register, and digital marketplaces enforce the rules at the platform level. If you cannot provide a valid Austrian registration number, marketplaces are legally obligated to suspend your listings and block your access to the Austrian market.

The deposit-return system

To align with EU targets for the separate collection of beverage containers, Austria is introducing a mandatory deposit-return system (Einwegpfand) for single-use plastic beverage bottles and metal cans.

This system works completely independently of your standard dual-system packaging licence. If you sell covered beverage containers into Austria, you must participate in this dedicated scheme and ensure a deposit is charged to the end consumer at the point of sale. Because the exact implementation rules and scope are evolving alongside the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, verify the current status and specific container scope with the local authorities before distributing beverages to Austrian buyers.

Key dates and upcoming changes

Austria's framework continues to evolve under both national initiatives and EU directives. The milestones that matter to sellers are below.

Date	Milestone
21 October 2000	The EU ELV Directive on end-of-life vehicles enters into force.
4 July 2012	The WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU for electronics enters into force.
3 July 2021	Single-use plastics rules apply under the SUP Directive.
31 December 2024	EPR for fishing gear applies under the SUP Directive.
18 August 2025	The EU Batteries Regulation's EPR obligations enter into force.
12 August 2026	The PPWR applies directly across the EU, changing packaging design and reporting rules.
17 April 2028	The textiles EPR scheme takes effect under Directive (EU) 2025/1892.

Selling into Austria alongside Germany, Italy, and the rest of the EU? Gram turns your real orders into filing-ready packaging reports mapped to each country's registers and fees. Put your EPR reporting on autopilot.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the EDM portal in Austria?: The Elektronisches Datenmanagement (EDM) portal is Austria's consolidated national register for environmental compliance. It is operated by the Umweltbundesamt, letting producers manage their extended producer responsibility obligations for packaging, electronics, batteries, and other streams in one place.
Do foreign online sellers need an authorised representative for Austria?: Yes. If your business is based outside Austria and you sell packaged goods, electronics, or batteries directly to Austrian consumers, you are legally required to appoint a local authorised representative. That entity assumes legal responsibility for your compliance with Austrian administrative law.
Do I have to join a dual system like ARA?: Yes. Registering on the EDM portal is only the first step for packaging compliance. You also have to conclude a commercial contract with an approved producer responsibility organisation or dual system, such as Altstoff Recycling Austria (ARA), which manages the physical collection and recycling of your materials.
Does Austria have a deposit-return system for beverage containers?: Austria is introducing a deposit-return system (Einwegpfand) for single-use plastic beverage bottles and metal cans to meet EU collection targets. It operates separately from the standard dual-system packaging licence, so beverage producers must participate in the dedicated return scheme on top of their normal packaging duties.