Biling instructions for plastic carrier bags

• Plastic carrier bags: carrying bags with or without a handle made of plastic material, which are available to consumers at the counter at the point of sale of goods or products (par.1, par. c, article 2, L.2939/2001)
• Lightweight plastic carrier bags: 15-50μm plastic carrier bags
• Very lightweight plastic carrier bags: 0-15μm required for hygiene reasons or provided as primary bulk food packaging to avoid food waste
• Oxo-degradable: the bags that are catalysed
• Reusable: ≥50μm manufactured in accordance with UNE53942 or bags with dimensions larger than the standard and of any other material for the purpose of reuse (par.1, par.c, article 2, Law 2939/2001)
• Points of sale of goods: designated- differentiated area where retail trade is carried out
• Trader: any natural or legal person, retail trade, e-commerce business, and outdoor commerce.

Free distribution ceases from 1/1/2018

Thin plastic carrier bags (15-50μm): From 1/1/2019 you must charge an environmental fee / piece of 0.07 euros. This amount is indicated on the documents as an environmental fee before VAT and you shall pay it to AADE every quarter. Kiosks and open-air trade are excluded

For bags (50-70μm) and reusable bags: From 1/1/2021 (according to 4685/2020-article 97) you must charge an environmental fee of 0.07 euros / piece. This amount is indicated on the documents as an environmental fee before VAT and you shall pay it to AADE every quarter. Kiosks and open-air trade are excluded.

For biodegradable : There is no obligation to pay an environmental fee.

For oxo-degradable : their distribution is prohibited from 10/6/2018

For bags 0-15μm and ≥70μm: From 1/1/2021 (according to 4685/2020-article 97) you must charge an environmental fee of 0.07 euros / piece. This amount is indicated on the documents as an environmental fee before VAT and you pay it AADE every quarter. Kiosks and open-air trade are excluded

1. Supermarket traders

• provide the possibility of supplying the consumer with a reusable carrier bag at the checkout in a visible manner
• visibly facilitate solid waste management by placing collection points for thin carrier bags

2) Τraders excluding kiosks and open-air markets

• indicate at retail outlets in a prominent place that “Thin plastic carrier bags are subject to an environmental charge of 0.07 euros/item, in order to reduce their use”
• charge or invoice according to the category of bag
• pay the fee quarterly in a return declaration if supply the consumer with thin bags (15-50μm)

3) All traders (including kiosks and flea market)

• make plastic carrier bags (of any thickness) available to the consumer

CΟΝΤROLS-SANCTIONS according to Article 10 (controls are carried out by EOAN – ADSE – General Secretariat of Commerce & Consumer Protection)

• Marking on the body of the bag (not on the pleats) with characters >1,2mm
• Barcode for facilitating billing-invoicing at the checkout
• All plastic bags are subject to an alternative management levy, except for reusable ones.