EU-voorzitter Polen verwelkomt overeenkomst over elektronisch afval (en)

More recovered electronic equipment leads to human he alth and less damage to the environment.

The Polish Presidency welcomes today's positive decision taken by the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) on the outcome of the fourth trilogue meeting between the Council and the European Parliament, and with the participation of the European Commission, in Brussels on 20 December, on a recast directive (2002/96/EC) on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Once all procedural steps have been completed, the WEEE legislative package will be adopted by the Council and the European Parliament in the second reading.

The draft WEEE Directive introduces most importantly a change to the basis of collection rate calculations. The current method is based on 4 kg per inhabitant per year. In the first 4 years after the entry of the changed directive the current method will be preserved. In the following 3 years the method of calculation will be : 45% of the weight of electrical and electronic equipment introduced on the market. After these 7 years member states will be free to choose one of two methods: 65% of the weight of equipment introduced on the market or 85% of the weight of generated waste equipment. Moreover, the provisions of the directive reduce the number of equipment categories from 10 to 6 groups.

Other important provisions include the introduction of the open scope of the directive after 6 years. Until now the scope of the directive was closed, which means that only specifically defined electrical and electronic equipment was falling under its regulation. After the introduction of the open scope, the directive will cover all equipment which meets the definition outlined in it (including a few precisely defined exceptions).

The recast directive introduces changes to the definition of producer of electrical and electronic equipment (i.e. an entity placing equipment on the market). Currently a producer is defined as an entity which introduces electrical and electronic equipment in a given member state. Once the recast directive enters into force, a producer which has no seat in a member state will be able to appoint an authorised representative. Additionally, the directive sets up a harmonisation of registers of producers (which bring these products to the market) - the data will be introduced on-line and member states will be able to exchange information, whilst at the same time the format and frequency of reporting will be harmonised. The above changes decrease the administrative burden for producers, which was an important issue for the European Parliament.

The novelty of the directive is the introduction of an obligation for big electronic and electrical shops to organise collection points for used small equipment, which shall influence the collection levels. It has to be underlined that now consumers will be able to get rid of used electronic equipment in an environmentally friendly way without an obligation to buy new equipment.