Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi

What Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi does

Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi (CONAI) is the Italian national Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) consortium for packaging, established in 1997 under Decreto Ronchi (D. Lgs. 22/97) as a private non-profit entity equally representing packaging producers and users. It is the legally mandated compliance mechanism through which all companies placing packaging on the Italian market must register, declare, and pay the Contributo Ambientale CONAI (CAC), an environmental contribution differentiated by material type (steel, aluminum, paper, wood, plastic, bioplastic, glass) and modulated for sustainability characteristics such as recyclability and recycled content. CONAI coordinates seven material-specific consortia (Ricrea, Cial, Comieco, Rilegno, Corepla, Biorepack, Coreve) that execute the actual recycling operations, while CONAI itself manages the CAC calculation and collection system, material flow monitoring, and the transfer of funds to municipalities under the ANCI-CONAI Framework Agreement (currently in its 6th edition, 2026-2029). In 2024, CONAI recognized nearly €789 million in compensation to Italian municipalities, covering 7,396 municipalities (97% of the Italian population) and overseeing the recycling of over 10.7 million tonnes out of 13.95 million tonnes of packaging placed on the market, achieving a 76.7% recycling rate that exceeds EU 2030 targets.

The consortium's core technology is a centralized compliance and data platform spanning online registration and declaration portals (impresa.gov.it/conai, dichiarazioni.conai.org), a CAC calculation engine, municipal compensation tracking, and a packaging flow database validated under EMAS registration (held since 2016) and the National Data Validation Program. CONAI has built an expanding portfolio of digital tools for member companies: EcoD Tool for eco-design simulation, E-tichetta for environmental label generation, Tool Codice Imballaggio for packaging classification, Progettare Riciclo for design-for-recycling guidelines, DifferEnti for municipal collection data, and Packaging4EU (launched 2026) for cross-border EPR rule identification. It also operates CONAI Community and CONAI Academy for training and knowledge dissemination, plus Fondazione ReMade (formerly ReMade in Italy, transformed in 2024) for recycled-content certification and Green Public Procurement support. Partnerships include ANCI for municipal relations, ENEA and CNR for research, EXPRA and ISWA for international EPR coordination, and EURACTIV/Giffoni Film Festival for advocacy and education.

CONAI's revenue model is built on the mandatory CAC transaction fee, supplemented by ancillary service fees and net interest on collected funds before disbursement. As a non-profit, the consortium retains only a small percentage of CAC for its own operations and passes the majority to material consortia and municipalities. Customer segments span 651,713 registered packaging producers and users (B2B, mandatory), 7,396 Italian municipalities (B2G, via ANCI framework), Italian citizens (target of awareness campaigns), and the seven material consortia (operational partners). Distribution is primarily through self-serve online portals, a toll-free call center (800337799), the ANCI-CONAI framework, and the international EXPRA network. Marketing emphasizes environmental education in schools and universities, national TV campaigns, sustainability reporting (annual Rapporto di Sostenibilità), and active social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and X. Governance rests with a 19-member Board of Directors (nine producers, nine users, one government appointee), currently led by President Ignazio Capuano and Director General Simona Fontana.

Name

Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi

Legal name

CONAI - Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi

Website

https://conai.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi (CONAI) is Italy's legally mandated national packaging Extended Producer Responsibility consortium, coordinating recycling of over 10.7 million tonnes annually through seven material consortia, 651,713 member companies, and 7,396 municipalities, with €789 million in municipal compensation recognized in 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Packaging Waste Management and Extended Producer Responsibility Services

NAICS

Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support) (IMALAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Supply Chain & Product Environmental Compliance (RoHS, WEEE, Packaging EPR, Eco-Design/Labeling Regulations) (EUAHABAJ), Industrial Packaging Waste Services (Pallets, Cardboard, Film, IBCs/Drums—Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAD), Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH), Circular Economy & Waste/Materials Reporting (Zero waste, packaging) (EUAHAJAL)

Keywords

• Packaging waste recycling
• Extended producer responsibility
• Environmental contribution collection
• Circular economy services
• Municipal waste management

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Contributo Ambientale CONAI (CAC): The Environmental Contribution (CAC) is the primary revenue stream. Producers and users placing packaging on the market in Italy pay CONAI a fee differentiated by packaging type. CONAI retains a minimal portion for its operations and transfers the majority to the material consortia (Filiera). The consortia, in turn, recognize economic compensation to municipalities for differentiated collection costs under the APQN framework.
2. Municipal Compensation (Corrispettivi ANCI-CONAI): Under the ANCI-CONAI Framework Agreement, CONAI transfers funds to municipalities to cover costs of differentiated collection of packaging waste. In 2024, CONAI recognized nearly €789 million to local administrations for this purpose.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CONAI (Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi) operates Italy's mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system for packaging. It collects the Contributo Ambientale CONAI (CAC) environmental contribution from producers and users placing packaging on the Italian market, redistributes the majority of funds to seven material consortia (steel, aluminum, paper, wood, plastic, bioplastic, glass), and pays municipalities (€789 million in 2024) for differentiated waste collection under the ANCI-CONAI Framework Agreement. The consortium also provides eco-design, environmental labeling, and regulatory compliance tools and training to member companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CONAI Community: Online community platform for packaging sustainability and circular economy knowledge sharing
• CONAI Academy
• Packaging4EU
• EcoD Tool
• Progettare Riciclo
• E-tichetta (Tool E-tichetta)
• DifferEnti
• Fondazione ReMade

Products and services

• Contributo Ambientale CONAI (CAC) Environmental Contribution Service Mandatory service through which Italian producers and users of packaging pay the Contributo Ambientale CONAI (CAC) environmental contribution on every packaging unit placed on the Italian market, with rates differentiated by material (steel, aluminum, paper, wood, plastic, bioplastic, glass), sustainability characteristics, and export/reusable exemptions.
• ANCI-CONAI Municipal Compensation Service (Corrispettivi) Service through which CONAI recognizes economic compensation to Italian municipalities (€789 million in 2024) for the costs of differentiated packaging waste collection, under the multi-year ANCI-CONAI Framework Agreement (currently 6th edition, 2026-2029), covering 7,396 municipalities and 97% of the Italian population in 2024.
• EcoD Tool Eco-design software for environmental assessment of packaging that allows companies to simulate improvement actions and quantify the environmental impact of packaging choices.
• Tool E-tichetta Tool for constructing correct and compliant environmental labels for packaging, supporting CONAI's 2021 Guidelines for Environmental Labeling.
• Progettare Riciclo Platform Web platform for the public consultation and dissemination of design-for-recycling guidelines for packaging in aluminum, steel, paper, and plastic.
• Packaging4EU Tool Tool that helps companies identify applicable rules in different European countries regarding packaging and packaging waste management, EPR obligations, and environmental labeling.
• Tool Codice Imballaggio Tool for identifying the declarative code and associated material code for each packaging item, supporting standardized CAC declarations.
• DifferEnti Portal Portal dedicated to differentiated collection in Italy and prevention actions adopted by Local Authorities, supporting citizens and municipalities with collection guidance.
• CONAI Community and Academy Online training and knowledge-sharing platform providing webinars and educational resources on packaging sustainability and the circular economy for companies and supply-chain actors.
• Modulated CAC for Plastic Packaging Modulated Environmental Contribution differentiated by plastic packaging sustainability characteristics (recyclability, recycled content), incentivizing eco-design.
• Packaging Recycling and Recovery Service (Material Consortia) National packaging recycling and recovery service delivered through the seven material consortia coordinated by CONAI: Ricrea (steel), Cial (aluminum), Comieco (paper/cardboard), Rilegno (wood), Corepla (plastic), Biorepack (bioplastic), Coreve (glass). In 2024, the system recovered 12 million tonnes and recycled 10.7 million tonnes out of over 13.95 million tonnes of packaging placed on the Italian market.

Quantifiable outcome

• 76.7% packaging waste recycling rate in Italy (2024), exceeding EU 2030 targets
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• EXPRA (Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013EXPRA is the international alliance of Extended Producer Responsibility organizations in packaging. CONAI is a founding member and has participated since 2013. EXPRA now has 34 members worldwide and serves as a global reference for EPR in packaging. CONAI contributes to network growth and shares best practices in extended producer responsibility.
• ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Partnership for dissertation awards promoting research on circular economy and packaging sustainability topics.
• ANCI (National Association of Italian Municipalities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANCI-CONAI Framework Agreement (Accordo Quadro ANCI-CONAI) is the central partnership for managing differentiated collection of packaging waste. Currently in its 6th edition (2026-2029), it covers municipal compensation, training, communication support, and territorial projects. In 2024, 7,396 municipalities were covered (97% of Italian population).
• CNR (National Research Council of Italy)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFramework Agreement with CNR for research on recycling technologies, established in 2013.
• EURACTIVminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for events on digital solutions for waste collection and product labelling, including 'Empowering consumers in the green transition'.
• Giffoni Film FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for cultural projects promoting environmental awareness among youth through cinema.
• RCS MediaGroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvents collaboration with RCS for environmental awareness campaigns and events.
• Fondazione ReMademajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by CONAI in 2009 as ReMade in Italy, transformed into Fondazione ReMade in 2024. Strategic hub for certification of recycled content in products, supporting circular economy and Green Public Procurement (GPP) in Italy.
• ISWA (International Solid Waste Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCONAI participates in ISWA EPR Library and international waste management network.
• Erion PackagingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdded as new participating entity to the National Data Validation Program starting in 2026.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Citeo: France's national packaging EPR PRO covering household and commercial packaging recovery. Citeo operates the same regulatory monopoly model as CONAI in France and is its closest functional peer among EU EPR schemes.
• Ecoembes: Spain's packaging EPR system for household packaging, managing recycling and recovery of paper/cardboard, plastic, cans, and other materials. Ecoembes operates a near-identical consortium model to CONAI and serves as a primary EXPRA counterpart.
• Grüner Punkt / DSD: Germany's leading packaging recovery scheme (Der Grüne Punkt), running Germany's dual-system EPR for sales packaging. DSD and CONAI share the same statutory mandate structure under their respective national packaging laws.
• ARA (Altstoff Recycling Austria): Austria's national packaging and waste EPR organization, managing recovery and recycling for packaging, e-waste, and other streams. ARA is a long-standing EXPRA member alongside CONAI and shares the non-profit consortium governance model.
• Fost Plus: Belgium's packaging EPR PRO for household packaging, coordinating recycling and recovery of paper, plastic, glass, and metals. Fost Plus runs a structurally similar fee-based EPR system and is a direct EXPRA peer.
• Eco-systèmes: France's approved PRO for household electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and a recognized operator under French EPR law. While focused on e-waste rather than packaging, Eco-systèmes operates under the same French EPR framework as Citeo and is comparable in regulatory model to CONAI's material-consortium structure.

Others

• EXPRA (Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance): International alliance of 34 packaging EPR organizations in which CONAI is a founding member. EXPRA is not a competitor but the peer-network infrastructure through which CONAI coordinates cross-border EPR best practice and policy influence.
• Fondazione ReMade: Italian foundation for recycled-content certification and Green Public Procurement, originally created by CONAI in 2009 and converted to a foundation in 2024. Comparable as an enabling institution within the Italian circular-economy ecosystem.
• ISWA (International Solid Waste Association): Global network for waste management professionals and organizations. CONAI participates in ISWA's EPR Library, making it a comparable industry-association/ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Erion: Italian compliance system for WEEE, batteries, and other extended producer responsibility streams. Erion operates as a competing/adjacent Italian EPR scheme in non-packaging waste streams and is now a participating entity in CONAI's National Data Validation Program from 2026.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/conai
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CONAI-IT
• Facebookfacebook.com/CONAI.IT
• LinkedInit.linkedin.com/company/conai-consorzio-nazionale-imballaggi
• Instagraminstagram.com/conai_riciclo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi