WEEE Directive

The WEEE Directive came into force in the European Union on 13th August 2012, as a result of which EU member states were obliged to transpose the European Directive 2012/19/EC into national law. The aim of the WEEE Directive is to prevent waste from electrical and electronic equipment in order to protect the environment, or to reduce such waste by reusing and recycling it. The revised version of 2012 replaced the previous EU Directive 2002/96/EC. The WEEE Directive requires each EU country to set up a national register. Before they start to sell their products, manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment in the respective countries are obliged to register with the national registers and apply for a WEEE number.

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It therefore requires manufacturers, distributors or importers of electronic equipment to contribute to the cost of disposing it (extended producer responsibility or responsibility for taking back and disposing of electrical appliances). Companies are obliged to take back electrical equipment they have put on the market and dispose of it in accordance with specific environmental standards.

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The ElektroG requires manufacturers to:

• Register electronic products and apply for a WEEE number before market launch.

• provide EAR register certificate

•  Report the numbers sold at regular intervals.

• ensure that the products are disposed of in an environmentally compatible way.

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Registration of foreign companies via an authorised representative
Companies that sell electronic equipment in Germany and that are not based in Germany must appoint an authorised representative to stiftung ear.

The authorised representative represents the company in Germany and ensures that it meets its legal obligations under the ElektroG. Foreign companies that are already registered with stiftung ear under the former ElektroG-1 must re-register via an authorised representative. Their old registration including their WEEE number will be cancelled.

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If you manufacture, sell or import electronic products on a european market, then you must must comply with the European WEEE Directive. 

Our experts based in German and UK will support you on WEEE directive and make your business fully compliant with the law.

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