Manufacturer or importer

Who is a producer or importer?

The definitions of “producer” are not formulated in exactly the same way in the three region’s but they always mean the same thing, namely a producer is any natural person or legal entity who is the first to bring mattresses on the Belgian market or to intend them for their own use. This can therefore be a mattress producer as well as an importer, distributor or final seller.

This also applies to online sales or other forms of remote sales by non-Belgian companies to Belgian private individuals.

Care homes, holiday centres, retirement homes, etc. also fall under the heading ‘producer’ if they import mattresses from abroad.

I am a foreign manufacturer and sell in Belgium

If you are a foreign company that imports and sells mattresses in Belgium, then as importers, your Belgian customers are subject to the take-back obligation.

However, as a foreign supplier, you can take over the administrative modalities of the take-back obligation of your customers in Belgium. You then join Valumat and annually you make a declaration for the number of mattresses that you put on the Belgian market.

However, as an importer, your Belgian customer remains subject to a take-back obligation. Your Belgian customers must then also demonstrate to the regional authorities that their foreign supplier declares these mattresses to Valumat. They must therefore "mandate" you. This can be done via a "mandate form".