Are you exporting goods and displaying the Green Dot on your packaging?
If your company is exporting packaged goods to European countries, you may have a requirement to display the Green Dot symbol on your packaging. This symbol is used in some EU countries to demonstrate compliance with local packaging legislation.
It is mandatory in France, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Greece and optional throughout the rest of the EU - apart from Italy, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands where it is not recognized.
Many companies exporting to countries where the Green Dot is mandatory also print the Green Dot on packaging destined for the UK (and other non-mandatory countries) where there is actually no legal requirement to do so. This is because it saves the additional time and cost of printing and producing two different sets of packaging.
Your Green Dot licence requirements
It is not mandatory to display the Green Dot on packaging sold in the UK because the PRN system is already in place to ensure compliance with the UK packaging regulations. However, if you are the brand-owner of packaging that does display the Green Dot symbol in the UK, you are required to purchase a UK licence for its use.
It is important to note that the UK licence does not cover the use of the Green Dot in other countries - you must also purchase a separate licence for each country you’re also planning to use it.
Free Green Dot UK licence for members
The good news is that ecosurety is able to offer a licence for use of the Green Dot in the UK free of charge to our packaging scheme members, in order to ensure full and correct use of the trademark.
All we require from you is confirmation that the Green Dot is displayed on your packaging in the UK and some basic information about its use. Please contact our team for more information and to ensure you are permitted to use the symbol.
If you require any further information or have any questions about licensing requirements in other EU member states, please don’t hesitate to contact our international compliance team on 0333 4330 370 or email info@ecosurety.com.
Abigail Warren
Head of Client Services
Abigail joined Ecosurety in 2015 and is now Client services manager, ensuring our team provide valuable support to our clients and look for additional value we can add beyond compliance. She graduated in 2014 with a BSc in Environmental Studies from Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts. Her degree is a reflection of her passion for environmental issues, which were evoked while growing up surrounded by the beautiful natural landscape of New England.
