What is ProdSG
ProdSG is the German Product Safety Law. On September 23, 2011, the Bundestag promulgated a revised version of the Equipment and Product Safety Act (GPSG), the current Product Safety Act (ProdSG). The German Bundestag passed the bill and announced it in the Federal Law Gazette on November 11, 2011, which came into effect on December 1, 2011.
The Product Safety Law applies to almost all products except for special areas such as medical devices and food. The law implements many European CE directives into German law. In addition to the areas regulated by the unified directive, the Product Safety Law also regulates products outside the unified directive regulated area, such as parts and accessories used by merchants for reprocessing.
All participants, including online retailers, are obliged to register under the new packaging law. The first to bring packaging products (including filling materials) to the German market and end up with consumer waste, are subject to VerpackV and VerpackG. The extended product liability principle applies here. Therefore, these parties are responsible for ensuring that all relevant packaging materials are collected and recycled.
All companies selling goods in Germany must be prepared to participate in a dual system in order to arrange packaging for recycling after the goods are used and to continue trading in Germany.
How does this affect your company
If you do not register, the new requirements may create obstacles to the sale of your company's products. Until registration of Zentrale Stelle is completed, packaged goods cannot be listed in Germany. These requirements apply even if your company places only one item on the market each year.
Without registration, your company may suffer a huge fine of up to 200,000 Euros in Germany, and any missed declarations will be fined 10,000 Euros.
In addition, the bill will encourage packaging manufacturers to incorporate recyclability considerations into packaging design. All companies must register on the packaging center registration website to ensure market access.