Overview
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 "Green Dot" trademark as a financing symbol. In its primary role, PRO EUROPE is the general licensor of the "Green Dot" trademark. It also acts as the authoritative voice and common policy platform representing the interests of all packaging recovery and recycling organisations founded and run by or on behalf of obliged industry.
These national recovery organisations are pursuing similar goals, essentially finding themselves and their stakeholders in a similar situation. They have set themselves the task of relieving industrial companies and commercial enterprises of their individual obligation to take back used sales packaging through the operation of a scheme which fulfils these obligations on a nation-wide basis on behalf of their member companies. The aim is to ensure the recovery and recycling of packaging waste in the most economically efficient and ecologically sound manner. Apart from requiring the co-ordination and alignment of individual member positions, the task of safeguarding common interests involves the projection of a coherent, unified policy and image to the outside world.
The "Green Dot" has evolved into a proven concept in many countries as implementation of Producer Responsibility. Industry in twenty-seven nations is now using the "Green Dot" as the financing symbol for the organisation of recovery, sorting and recycling of sales packaging. Private-sector compliance schemes working toward this objective are today in place in twenty-two EU member states, viz., 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 additional countries include Norway (as an EEA member), Croatia, Turkey, Serbia and Macedonia. Moreover, PRO EUROPE has concluded co-operation agreements with similar systems in UK (VALPAK), Canada (CSR), Iceland (IRF), Finland (PYR) and Ukraine (UkrPec) so that they are part of the common network as well. VALPAK and CSR are taking care for the Green Dot in UK and the NAFTA region to ensure that all licensees of the Green Dot may use labelled packaging without problems throughout the world.
The members of PRO EUROPE wish to demonstrate that the recycling of used packaging is an important step on the path towards the sustainable development that is necessary to safeguard our planet for future generations. Their work in Europe and world-wide is both successful and transparent.
Incorporated as a private limited liability company under Belgian law (société privée responsabilité limitée, s.p.r.l.), PRO EUROPE is headquartered in 1200 Brussels, Rue Martin V 40.
PRO Europe's management structure is as follows:
President: Luís Veiga Martins (Ponto Verde)
Managing Director: Joachim Quoden
The Green Dot
‘Green Dot’ systems have become internationally recognised models that contribute to the successful implementation of producer responsibility by the companies involved. When you see the ‘Green Dot’ on packaging it means that for such packaging, a financial contribution has been paid to a qualified national recovery organisation, set up in accordance with the principles defined in EU Directive 94/62 on packaging and packaging waste and the respective national laws.
Today, the ‘Green Dot’ is the most widely used trademark in the world. More than 170,000 companies are licensees of the ‘Green Dot” trademark, while over 460 billion packaging items are labeled annually with the symbol. Industry in twenty-five nations is now using the ‘Green Dot’ as the financing symbol for the organisation of recovery, sorting and recycling of sales packaging. Those countries using the ‘Green Dot’ are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Turkey.
Key facts
- Since its foundation PRO EUROPE has been organising the exchange of experience and know-how between 34 systems in 34 countries.
- About 170,000 companies are contributing licensees/members of PRO EUROPE member systems.
- About 400 million inhabitants have access to separate collection financed by PRO EUROPE member systems.
- About 32,000,000 tonnes of packaging have been recovered by PRO EUROPE member systems in 2009.
- More than 25 million tones of CO2 equivalent has been saved by the work of PRO EUROPE member systems in 2009.
- About 460 billion packaging items are labeled yearly with the ‘Green Dot’, a registered trademark in more than 170 countries.