Ecopack - The Green Dot symbol is a protected trademark on a global, European and local level, and can only be put on packaging distributed in the market of the Republic of Bulgaria with the approval of its ownerand/or an authorized licensee for this country.
- The use of the Green Dot symbol on the packaging of various kinds of products, means that their producer or distributor participates, including financially, in a system for packaging waste collection and recycling which guarantees compliance with the requirements of European and national legislation.
- The fact that ECOPACK Bulgaria is a long-standing member of the European organizations PRO Europe (general licensor of the Green Dot trademark) and EXPRA only confirms that its system for separate collection and recovery of packaging is exemplary in terms of meeting the respective targets by the highest European standards.
- The Green Dot represents the financial contribution of the respective company (producer or importer) to a recovery organization which is fully owned by the obligated industry, operates on a not-for-profit basis, and has as its main focus the promotion of separate collection and its benefits among all sections of society. It is on the basis of these very principles that ECOPACK Bulgaria has organized its activity.
- The use of the Green Dot trademark by distributors or producers of packaged goods in Bulgaria can be authorized either by way of regular membership in the separate collection system (under a contract concluded with ECOPACK Bulgaria) or by signing the so-called license-only agreement.
PRO Europe s.p.r.l. (Packaging Recovery Organisation Europe), founded in 1995, is the umbrella organisation for European packaging and packaging waste recovery and recycling schemes which mainly use the registered trademark “The Green Dot" as a financing symbol. In its primary role, PRO Europe is the general licensor of the Green Dot trademark for Europe.
In addition, the organization plays the role of an authoritative voice and common policy platform representing the interests of all packaging recovery organizations founded and managed by, or on behalf of, the entities obliged by law to recover packaging.
The Green Dot has evolved into a proven concept in many countries as a model for implementing producer responsibility. Industries in 25 countries now use “The Green Dot” trademark as a financing symbol for the organisation of recovery, sorting and recycling of sales packaging. As of today, private sector organizations are operating towards that end in 22 EU member states – Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden – as well as in other countries, such as Norway, Croatia, and Turkey.Furthermore, PRO EUROPE has cooperation agreements with similar systems in Great Britain (VALPAK), Canada (CSR), Iceland (IRF), Finland (PYR), and Ukraine (UkrPec), so they are also part of the general network. VALPAK и CSR ensure the protection of the Green Dot in Great Britain, as well as USA, Canada, and Mexico, making it possible for all licensees to use this symbol on their packaging without problems anywhere in the world.
For more information on this topic, please contact our staff.
The non-governmental organization PRO EUROPE s.p.r.l. (Packaging Recovery Organisation Europe) was founded in 1995, with headquarters in Brussels, as a means to avoid from the very start any barriers to trade in the process of implementation of Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste. It brings together the packaging recovery organizations using the Green Dot protected trademark. PRO EUROPErepresents the common policies of its members and acts as their spokesperson before European and international institutions.
The members of PRO EUROPE represent 33 countries in Europe and America. It is the goal of PRO EUROPE members to demonstrate that recovery and recycling of used packaging is an important step along the path to sustainable development, which is crucial in order to ensure the preservation of our planet for future generations. As of today, private sector organizations are operating towards that end in 22 EU member states – Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden – as well as in other countries, such as Norway, Croatia, and Turkey. Furthermore, PRO EUROPE has cooperation agreements with similar systems in Great Britain (VALPAK), Canada (CSR), Iceland (IRF), Finland (PYR), and Ukraine (UkrPec), so they are also part of the general network. VALPAK и CSR ensure the protection of the Green Dot in Great Britain, as well as USA, Canada, and Mexico, making it possible for all licensees to use this symbol on their packaging without problems anywhere in the world.
Recovery organizations using the ‘Green Dot’ symbol have earned international recognition and contribute to the successful implementation of packaging producer responsibility for the protection of the environment. When you see the Green Dot on packaging it means that for such packaging a financial contribution has been paid to a qualified national packaging recovery company, founded in accordance with the principles laid down in Directive 94/62/EC and the respective national legislation, and thus allows it to meet the set recovery and recycling targets.
In its primary role, PRO Europe is the general licensor of the Green Dot trademark for Europe.Moreover,the organization plays the role of an authoritative voice and common policy platform representing the interests of all packaging recovery organizations founded and managed by, or on behalf of, the entities obliged by law to recover packaging.
