With the notable exception of Denmark, all EU member states have opted for private industry solutions in the management of packaging waste. In 10 member states, industry has devised systems that use the Green Dot as a financing symbol: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. Norway, a member of the European Economic Area, has similar organisations as do EU accession candidates Latvia, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Turkey.

The European systems recognise that national individuality in a common market is the wrong approach and that a joint financing symbol is needed to ensure free movement of goods. To this end, some 16 European organisations have opted to use the Green Dot trademark. If packaging bears the Green Dot, it indicates that payment has been made for this packaging to a national packaging management organisation established on the principles of the EU Packaging Directive and respective national legislation.

The Green Dot is neither a recycling nor an environmental symbol but rather indicates that companies involved accept their producer responsibility.

Thus, all the systems that use the Green Dot are similar in their financing methods - even if licence fees vary considerably due to different national collection and recycling requirements. Furthermore, most Green Dot systems use the Green Dot trademark in their consumer information campaigns to demonstrate, for example, for which packaging a contribution has been paid and to encourage consumers to improve their consumption habits.

The basic principle of all systems is agreement between the respective business communities and that these are operated by non-profit organisations.

Apart from coordination collection, sorting and recovery of used packaging by private and municipal waste management companies, it is the task of all systems to combine the various interests of those involved in order to achieve the most economic and ecologically efficient method.

Packaging is an integral part of almost all products that are traded. This means that many parties have a significant role to play in Malta's ability to meet the targets set out by this directive.

AIS Environmental is bringing together all these parties under the Green Dot umbrella organisation, which organisation is to be known as GreenPak. This organisation would manage systems for the collection, recovery and recycling of packaging waste typically arising from:
Primary packaging: Products related packaging e.g. bottles, cartoons, cans etc.

Secondary packaging: Multiple products packaging e.g. plastic film,
cardboard boxes etc.

Tertiary packaging: Bulk packaging e.g. wooden and plastic crates etc.
On becoming members of the GreenPak, Maltese operators will be able to transfer their legal obligations.

The government on the other hand, would be in a better position to meet its commitments to the EU arising from the Packaging Directive as it is backed by a tried and tested formula that has been successful in many EU member states.