Serbia is preparing to expand extended producer responsibility (EPR), potentially transferring a larger share of recycling and end-of-life waste costs from the state to manufacturers and importers. The Ministry of Environmental Protection opened consultations on amendments to the Waste Management Law on 27 August 2026, with comments accepted until 28 September. The proposed changes cover waste streams including tyres, vehicles, lubricants, batteries, electrical and electronic equipment.
Under EPR, companies placing products on the Serbian market would become financially responsible for their collection, transport, sorting, recycling and recovery after they become waste.
Producers and importers face new costs
Serbia’s existing system relies heavily on state incentives for authorised waste operators. The 2026–2028 support regime covers waste tyres, end-of-life vehicles, waste oils, batteries and accumulators, and electrical and electronic equipment. The proposed system would increasingly replace public financing with producer and importer contributions. The final methodology has not yet been established, but companies could face recurring fees based on the quantity and type of products they place on the market.
The obligations would extend beyond manufacturers. Importers of electronics, vehicles, batteries and lubricants could also be responsible, while retailers could become involved in collection systems.
Recycling sector could attract investment
Most businesses are unlikely to establish their own collection networks. Producer responsibility organisations could instead collect fees and contract authorised operators for waste treatment. A more predictable financing system could improve the revenue visibility of recycling companies and support investment in tyre recycling, battery treatment, electronic-waste processing and waste-oil facilities. More formal collection would also create demand for transport, sorting, consolidation and other environmental infrastructure.
Data and enforcement become more important
Companies would need to track products placed on the Serbian market, potentially by category, weight, material and chemistry. Customs, sales, finance and environmental records would need to be aligned, particularly for businesses managing large numbers of products.
Enforcement will be critical because companies that pay EPR fees could face a competitive disadvantage against importers or online sellers that avoid registration. The automotive sector could be particularly affected through obligations covering vehicles, tyres, lubricants and batteries, while growing electric-vehicle and energy-storage markets add new battery-recycling requirements.
Reform brings Serbia closer to EU practice
Serbia has not yet defined the final fee structure, but European EPR systems increasingly use eco-modulation, giving lower fees to products that are easier to repair, reuse or recycle. For Serbian exporters, stronger domestic EPR rules could also bring compliance practices closer to those already required in EU markets for packaging, electronics, batteries and other regulated products.
The transition will need to be coordinated with the existing 2026–2028 state-support regime to avoid disrupting recycling operators before producer-funded mechanisms become operational. The consultation ending 28 September will help determine which waste streams are covered, who qualifies as a producer, how fees are calculated, how collective schemes operate and how online and foreign sellers are registered.
