Q & A
FAQs
As an economic operator producing or importing beverages in primary non-refillable packaging, you have an important role in the implementation of DRS in Romania but also a decisive contribution to achieving national collection and recycling targets.
We want to offer support to all producers and importers, who play a key role in the implementation of this system, and to this end, we have produced a list of questions and answers to help you understand the legal obligations set out in HG 1074/2021 and to guide you through the process of registering in the system's database.
What are my collection targets as a manufacturer?
Producers, through the DRS manager, are required to achieve the following minimum annual DRS packaging return targets:
- 65% glass, 65% plastic, 65% metal by 2024.
- 75% glass, 80% plastic, 80% metal by 2025.
- 85% glass, 90% plastic, 90% metal starting 2026.
How will the „degree of achievement of the return target” be calculated?
The achievement of the return targets is calculated by the ratio of the total number of DRS packages placed on the national market to the total number of DRS packages validated by the barcode as returned in the DRS in the reference calendar year. The degree of achievement of the return targets is ascertained by the Environment Fund Administration.
I am a distributor of beverages in non-refillable primary packaging. Am I legally obliged to register in the DRS database?
Distributors who purchase products packaged in DRS packaging from producers based in Romania, and who therefore do not carry out intra-Community acquisition or import of beverages in primary non-refillable packaging, do not have to register in the DRS platform, this obligation being the responsibility of the economic operator placing the product on the Romanian market.
On the other hand, if economic operators purchase products packaged in DRS packaging from producers in other countries and therefore make an intra-Community purchase or import, they are legally obliged to register in the DRS, in the producers & importers section. In this situation, these economic operators are considered "producers" within the meaning of H.G. no. 1074/2021 on the establishment of the Deposit-Return System for primary non-refillable packaging, as they are the ones who place these products on the national market.
What happens to products not bearing the DRS symbol that are in stock on the DRS start date - 30 November 2023?
From the date of entry into force of the DRS, it will no longer be possible to place on the market products not registered with the DRS. However, products which are in the stock of producers or traders on 30 November 2023 may be sold until 31 December 2024, after this date their sale on the national market is prohibited. During this transitional period, when both DRS and non-DRS products will be available on the shelves, retailers will have a very important role to play in the relationship with the consumer, as the consumer must be informed which packaging carries the deposit and which does not, so that when returning the product consumers do not expect to receive the RON 0.50 deposit for non-DRS packaging, as this deposit was not paid by the consumer when purchasing the product.
How do I register in the Deposit-Return System database?
Registration is done online at portal.returosgr.ro, and before registering you can consult the registration procedure available here: www.returosgr.ro/inregistrare-producatori.
The registration procedure is simple:
A user account will be created by entering the company's identification data and the contact details of the person designated in relation to the DRS administrator.
After activating the account, the person designated in relation with the DRS administrator will fill in all the required information, in accordance with the legal provisions.
After entering this data, the Standard DRS Registration Form will be generated - automatically filled in with the data already entered. The form must be signed by the legal representative, using a simple or qualified electronic signature, also via the RetuRO portal.
In addition, we created a registration guide which can be found here:
www.returosgr.ro/info-producatori and where you can also download the following technical guides:
- Registration in the Deposit-Return System database
- Accessing the user account and entering data for submitting reports
- Signing reports: certified or simple digital signature
RetuRO offers assistance throughout the registration period via the call center, via the telephone number: 031.9003. Operators are available Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:30, except on public holidays. On 25 and 26 February our call centre service is available for extra technical support in order to help you with solutions to any technical problems you may encounter. So please do not hesitate to contact us on Saturday and Sunday between 10:00 and 19:00.
You can also contact us by e-mail at: suport@returosgr.ro.
We are here for any other questions or queries you may have.
What is the procedure for registering an administrative-territorial unit (municipality) on the RetuRO DRS platform in order to organise a DRS packaging return point?
Only economic operators who are retailers or producers, as defined in Decision No. 1.074/2021 on the establishment of the Deposit-Refund System for primary non-refillable packaging ("Decision No. 1.074/2021"), may register on the DRS platform. Therefore, administrative-territorial units may not register on the DRS platform.
Instead, the deliberative authorities of the administrative-territorial units may, under the conditions set out in Decision No 1.074/2021, (i) approve the conclusion of partnership agreements with retailers with sales structures of less than 200 sqm, at their request, for the organization and operation of return points and (ii) organize DRS packaging return points within the administrative-territorial radius of the respective administrative-territorial unit, in collaboration and under the coordination of the DRS administrator.
Does a company with no current activity have to register or can it register after starting activity?
According to the provisions of the Decision No 1.074/2021 on the establishment of the Deposit-Return System for primary non-refillable packaging, "retailer" means the legal person authorized to carry out activities of selling products in DRS packaging to consumers or end-users.
Thus, the mere fact that selling activities are authorized entails the obligation to register in the DRS, regardless of whether these activities are actually carried out. If the company is not yet so authorized, the retailer is not obliged to register in the DRS.
We plan to open a new site in the coming months. The company already exists and we have activated the account in the DRS platform. Please let us know what the next steps are.
Full registration in the DRS requires, in addition to creating a user account, entering all the data specified in the registration procedure available on the website, signing the appropriate DRS Registration Form and uploading it to the user's account. The next step will be to sign the contract with RetuRO when it becomes available.
To complete the registration procedure, the total number of DRS packages must be provided to RetuRO for the calendar year 2022 (can be 0 if there was no activity) and 2023 (forecast).
If I own a business that will close in the coming months, is it still mandatory to register in the DRS system?
Yes, the obligation to register in the DRS platform exists even if the company intends to cease trading. In case of non-compliance with this obligation, a fine will be imposed and the additional sanction of temporary suspension of activity until the obligation is fulfilled may also be imposed.
The obligation to register on the DRS platform exists for every trader authorised to market products in non-refillable primary packaging made of glass, plastic or metal, with volumes between 0.1 l and 3 l inclusive, used to supply the national market with beer, beer mixes, mixes of alcoholic beverages, cider, other fermented beverages, juices, nectars, soft drinks, mineral waters and drinking waters of all kinds, wines and spirits.
In the case of companies producing various natural syrups or juices, jams, fruit wines, vinegars, borages, teas and the like, packed in glass packaging, are they obliged to register on the DRS platform?
It should be noted that the Deposit-Refund System regulated by Decision No 1074/2021 applies to non-refillable primary packaging made of glass, plastic or metal, with volumes between 0.1 l and 3 l inclusive, used to make available on the national market beer, beer mixes, mixes of alcoholic beverages, cider, other fermented beverages, juices, nectars, soft drinks, mineral waters and drinking waters of all kinds, wines and spirits. To the extent that the products you refer to fall under the notion of juices, nectars or wines, then the obligation to register applies.
In addition, to the extent that we obtain further clarification from the competent authorities we will also make such information available to interested persons.
I am an importer and would like to know who is responsible for requesting EAN codes for products falling under the DRS.
The companies targeted for DRS implementation in the Producer/Importer category, after completing the registration in the RetuRO DRS platform and signing the contract, will request, on their behalf, the coding of SGR products with new GTINs, called “GTIN SGR”.
Economic operators who carry out an intra-community purchase or import of products in DRS packaging are considered "producers" within the meaning of H.G. no. 1074/2021 as they are the ones who introduce these products on the national market.
According to the document Requirements for the DRS Barcode and Logo, products that will be imported or purchased intra-community and placed on the Romanian market must comply with the set of specifications defined in this document for DRS packaging.
The new national barcodes obtained, under their own name, by economic operators carrying out an intra-community purchase or import of products in DRS packaging must be compulsorily applied on all containers, ensuring that the new national barcode fully covers the international barcode. It is up to the importer to apply the Romanian barcodes to an external supplier or locally.
If we already have barcodes ( EAN 13/EAN 8) on products that fall within the scope of DRS, do we need to apply for additional barcodes for DRS?
According to the DRS Barcode and Logo Requirements Guide, "Commercial products on the national market packaged in DRS packaging, as defined in HG 1074/2021, must be identified by new unique numeric structures". In this regard, even if the producer already uses codes that contain the unique country number allocated for Romania and are EAN-13 or EAN-8, it is necessary to change it to a unique DRS code and the label will contain only one code (the DRS one).
What are my collection targets as a manufacturer?
Producers, through the DRS manager, are required to achieve the following minimum annual DRS packaging return targets:
- 65% glass, 65% plastic, 65% metal by 2024.
- 75% glass, 80% plastic, 80% metal by 2025.
- 85% glass, 90% plastic, 90% metal starting 2026.
How will the „degree of achievement of the return target” be calculated?
The achievement of the return targets is calculated by the ratio of the total number of DRS packages placed on the national market to the total number of DRS packages validated by the barcode as returned in the DRS in the reference calendar year. The degree of achievement of the return targets is ascertained by the Environment Fund Administration.
I am a distributor of beverages in non-refillable primary packaging. Am I legally obliged to register in the DRS database?
Distributors who purchase products packaged in DRS packaging from producers based in Romania, and who therefore do not carry out intra-Community acquisition or import of beverages in primary non-refillable packaging, do not have to register in the DRS platform, this obligation being the responsibility of the economic operator placing the product on the Romanian market.
On the other hand, if economic operators purchase products packaged in DRS packaging from producers in other countries and therefore make an intra-Community purchase or import, they are legally obliged to register in the DRS, in the producers & importers section. In this situation, these economic operators are considered "producers" within the meaning of H.G. no. 1074/2021 on the establishment of the Deposit-Return System for primary non-refillable packaging, as they are the ones who place these products on the national market.
What happens to products not bearing the DRS symbol that are in stock on the DRS start date - 30 November 2023?
From the date of entry into force of the DRS, it will no longer be possible to place on the market products not registered with the DRS. However, products which are in the stock of producers or traders on 30 November 2023 may be sold until 31 December 2024, after this date their sale on the national market is prohibited. During this transitional period, when both DRS and non-DRS products will be available on the shelves, retailers will have a very important role to play in the relationship with the consumer, as the consumer must be informed which packaging carries the deposit and which does not, so that when returning the product consumers do not expect to receive the RON 0.50 deposit for non-DRS packaging, as this deposit was not paid by the consumer when purchasing the product.
How do I register in the Deposit-Return System database?
Registration is done online at portal.returosgr.ro, and before registering you can consult the registration procedure available here: www.returosgr.ro/inregistrare-producatori.
The registration procedure is simple:
A user account will be created by entering the company's identification data and the contact details of the person designated in relation to the DRS administrator.
After activating the account, the person designated in relation with the DRS administrator will fill in all the required information, in accordance with the legal provisions.
After entering this data, the Standard DRS Registration Form will be generated - automatically filled in with the data already entered. The form must be signed by the legal representative, using a simple or qualified electronic signature, also via the RetuRO portal.
In addition, we created a registration guide which can be found here:
www.returosgr.ro/info-producatori and where you can also download the following technical guides:
- Registration in the Deposit-Return System database
- Accessing the user account and entering data for submitting reports
- Signing reports: certified or simple digital signature
RetuRO offers assistance throughout the registration period via the call center, via the telephone number: 031.9003. Operators are available Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:30, except on public holidays. On 25 and 26 February our call centre service is available for extra technical support in order to help you with solutions to any technical problems you may encounter. So please do not hesitate to contact us on Saturday and Sunday between 10:00 and 19:00.
You can also contact us by e-mail at: suport@returosgr.ro.
We are here for any other questions or queries you may have.
What is the procedure for registering an administrative-territorial unit (municipality) on the RetuRO DRS platform in order to organise a DRS packaging return point?
Only economic operators who are retailers or producers, as defined in Decision No. 1.074/2021 on the establishment of the Deposit-Refund System for primary non-refillable packaging ("Decision No. 1.074/2021"), may register on the DRS platform. Therefore, administrative-territorial units may not register on the DRS platform.
Instead, the deliberative authorities of the administrative-territorial units may, under the conditions set out in Decision No 1.074/2021, (i) approve the conclusion of partnership agreements with retailers with sales structures of less than 200 sqm, at their request, for the organization and operation of return points and (ii) organize DRS packaging return points within the administrative-territorial radius of the respective administrative-territorial unit, in collaboration and under the coordination of the DRS administrator.
Does a company with no current activity have to register or can it register after starting activity?
According to the provisions of the Decision No 1.074/2021 on the establishment of the Deposit-Return System for primary non-refillable packaging, "retailer" means the legal person authorized to carry out activities of selling products in DRS packaging to consumers or end-users.
Thus, the mere fact that selling activities are authorized entails the obligation to register in the DRS, regardless of whether these activities are actually carried out. If the company is not yet so authorized, the retailer is not obliged to register in the DRS.
We plan to open a new site in the coming months. The company already exists and we have activated the account in the DRS platform. Please let us know what the next steps are.
Full registration in the DRS requires, in addition to creating a user account, entering all the data specified in the registration procedure available on the website, signing the appropriate DRS Registration Form and uploading it to the user's account. The next step will be to sign the contract with RetuRO when it becomes available.
To complete the registration procedure, the total number of DRS packages must be provided to RetuRO for the calendar year 2022 (can be 0 if there was no activity) and 2023 (forecast).
If I own a business that will close in the coming months, is it still mandatory to register in the DRS system?
Yes, the obligation to register in the DRS platform exists even if the company intends to cease trading. In case of non-compliance with this obligation, a fine will be imposed and the additional sanction of temporary suspension of activity until the obligation is fulfilled may also be imposed.
The obligation to register on the DRS platform exists for every trader authorised to market products in non-refillable primary packaging made of glass, plastic or metal, with volumes between 0.1 l and 3 l inclusive, used to supply the national market with beer, beer mixes, mixes of alcoholic beverages, cider, other fermented beverages, juices, nectars, soft drinks, mineral waters and drinking waters of all kinds, wines and spirits.
In the case of companies producing various natural syrups or juices, jams, fruit wines, vinegars, borages, teas and the like, packed in glass packaging, are they obliged to register on the DRS platform?
It should be noted that the Deposit-Refund System regulated by Decision No 1074/2021 applies to non-refillable primary packaging made of glass, plastic or metal, with volumes between 0.1 l and 3 l inclusive, used to make available on the national market beer, beer mixes, mixes of alcoholic beverages, cider, other fermented beverages, juices, nectars, soft drinks, mineral waters and drinking waters of all kinds, wines and spirits. To the extent that the products you refer to fall under the notion of juices, nectars or wines, then the obligation to register applies.
In addition, to the extent that we obtain further clarification from the competent authorities we will also make such information available to interested persons.
I am an importer and would like to know who is responsible for requesting EAN codes for products falling under the DRS.
The companies targeted for DRS implementation in the Producer/Importer category, after completing the registration in the RetuRO DRS platform and signing the contract, will request, on their behalf, the coding of SGR products with new GTINs, called “GTIN SGR”.
Economic operators who carry out an intra-community purchase or import of products in DRS packaging are considered "producers" within the meaning of H.G. no. 1074/2021 as they are the ones who introduce these products on the national market.
According to the document Requirements for the DRS Barcode and Logo, products that will be imported or purchased intra-community and placed on the Romanian market must comply with the set of specifications defined in this document for DRS packaging.
The new national barcodes obtained, under their own name, by economic operators carrying out an intra-community purchase or import of products in DRS packaging must be compulsorily applied on all containers, ensuring that the new national barcode fully covers the international barcode. It is up to the importer to apply the Romanian barcodes to an external supplier or locally.
If we already have barcodes ( EAN 13/EAN 8) on products that fall within the scope of DRS, do we need to apply for additional barcodes for DRS?
According to the DRS Barcode and Logo Requirements Guide, "Commercial products on the national market packaged in DRS packaging, as defined in HG 1074/2021, must be identified by new unique numeric structures". In this regard, even if the producer already uses codes that contain the unique country number allocated for Romania and are EAN-13 or EAN-8, it is necessary to change it to a unique DRS code and the label will contain only one code (the DRS one).