Öko Pannon
Hungary
ÖKO-Pannon was founded at the end of 1996 the decisive companies of the environmental committee of CSAOSZ (Hungarian Association of Packaging and Material Handling), in order to realize the organized collection and recovery of packaging waste in Hungary, in compliance with the practices of the EU member countries.
Currently, 32 large, significant packaging, filling, packaged good importer and packaging manufacturer companies belong to the founders of ÖKO-Pannon.
From 2003 till 2011 ÖKO-Pannon was operated to help its partners fulfil their obligations stipulated by national law and to support sustainable development. Within its core activities, ÖKO-Pannon co-ordinated the waste management circle from the output of packers and fillers, through the collection and recycling activities. In a close co-operation with municipalities, ÖKO-Pannon was contracted to all parties in the waste management circle.
System Description
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The legal usage of the trademark
What is Green Dot?
The Green Dot (’Der Grüne Punkt’) is a trademark being under international protection, that is used in commerce on the packaging of products and goods. The Trademark is used to indicate that the company which is entitled to use it – producer or distributor of the packaged products – complies with legal rules regarding packaging, European Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste, substantive requirements regarding packaging fixed in it and EU standards about environmental protection and packaging.
By right of the license of the trademark owner PRO EUROPE s.p.r.l. international organization and the registration by the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (registration numbers: 653450, 653449, 585714, and 585713) ÖKO-Pannon Nonprofit Plc. is exclusively entitled to the usage of the Green Dot Trademark in Hungary.
Sub-licenses
On the basis of the above information, the producers and importers of Green Dot marked products have permission to use the trademark on the packaging of their products only by the further authority (sub-licence) of ÖKO-Pannon Nonprofit Plc., the exclusively entitled organization, at a charge of trademark fee. The proviso of the authorization of usage of the Green Dot trademark means the right of sub-license is to enter into a trademark-using contract.
The concerned companies that use or wish to use the Green Dot trademark on the packaging of their products are obliged to make a trademark using a contract with ÖKO-Pannon Nonprofit Plc. for legal usage.
ÖKO-Pannon Nonprofit Plc. is convinced that the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle is the optimal solution for fulfilling environmental targets in combination with economic needs and being active as well in widening self-compliance.
Since the adaption of the EU Circular Economy Package in 2018 increased recycling quotas are adopted and high attention is paid to the extended producer responsibility principles (EPR).
In case the Hungarian government follows best European Practices and the obligation is transferred to fillers/packers, ÖKO-Pannon Nonprofit Plc. is.
ÖKO-Pannon Nonprofit Plc as a former well-functioning EPR organization has the necessary know-how to help the industry reach recycling targets.
In the last years, ÖKO-Pannon Nonprofit Plc. in alliance with professional organizations and leading packaging manufacturers proposed changes in the legislation and developed recommendations in line with the new requirements.
ÖKO-Pannon Nonprofit Plc. maintained in the last years the professional knowledge in the field of packaging collection and recycling.
Communication activities
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Within its regional activities, ÖKO-Pannon set standard contracts with municipalities and municipal waste collection companies, helping cities and regions to operate their selective collection system. As part of its regional programs, ÖKO-Pannon provided communication and education support to municipalities to help them run their system effectively. The main objective of these programs was to inform people and draw their attention to the effectiveness of selective waste collection and its environmental concerns. ÖKO-Pannon developed an education program with tailor-made materials to different age groups, from nurseries to primary and secondary schools.
From 2012 ÖKO-Pannon has been operating only the most important parts of its communications program and provide education services for payment.
Prevention
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Due to the new legislation of environmental product charge put into force in January 2012, ÖKO-Pannon Nonprofit Plc. has launched a consultancy service on compliance with actual environmental product charge and waste law for packaging emitters.
According to the legislation in Hungary, all companies are obliged to pay an environmental tax (official name: environmental product charge) to the National Tax and Customs Administration (NTCA; abbreviated Hungarian name: NAV).
The object of the charge is the packaging material instead of the packaging and therefore packers are directly not subject to the law for domestic products.
In the case of products produced abroad the importer company is responsible for the charge, i.e. the company that imports, and sells the product in Hungary for the first time (with the first HU-VAT Nr. invoice) or uses it for their own purposes.
Contact
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ÖKO-Pannon Nonprofit Kft.
V1146 Budapest
Hungária krt. 179-187.
HUNGARY
Phone: +36-1-383-9305
Fax: +36-1-383-9306
E-mail: info@okopannon.hu
Web: www.okopannon.hu