REACTION TO WASTE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT (WEEE) DIRECTIVE EP ENVI RECAST VOTE: MOVE ON FINANCING A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

In reaction to the vote in the European Parliament’s Environment Committee today (22nd June) CECED notes some progress in delivering a better WEEE Directive. MEPs within the Committee have decided to opt for a modified, realistic and ambitious collection target for WEEE based on the amount of WEEE generated rather than the volume of EEE sold. MEPs have confirmed that it is for Member States to achieve the

WEEE collection target rather than producers. CECED is also encouraged that the Committee has adopted a proposal for improving the financing of the collection of WEEE from households which could be a way forward. MEPs also voted for an improved package on standards for treatment of WEEE which partially includes all WEEE actors. Finally, CECED is concerned about the suggested target for reuse of

appliances. It is essential that requirements are established for refurbished appliances on consumer health and safety, environmental considerations and energy efficiency.

With a view to the forthcoming plenary vote on the WEEE Directive that is due in the

Autumn, CECED continues to underline that ideally:

· all WEEE should be collected and treated properly;

· for this reason all actors must be obliged to report the volumes of WEEE they

handle.

Says Luigi Meli, CECED Director General: “To tackle the problem of WEEE, the Directive must cover all actors and all WEEE. Failure to do this is likely to result with WEEE continuing to be illegally exported once the recast is finally passed into law.

“The fundamental problem is that WEEE is not being returned for treatment under schemes established or paid for by producers. Other actors in the waste management chain not covered by the current Directive, such as those that seek to make a profit from WEEE, are failing to comply with it and producers have no enforcement powers to enforce compliance.

“Manufacturers can only be responsible for elements they control”.

Click here for CECED’s position paper on WEEE recast.

For further information please contact:

Mr. Luigi Meli, CECED Director General

Tel: +32 (0)2 706 8290

Email: secretariat@ceced.eu

Mr Tristan Macdonald, Communications Manager

Tel: +32 (0)2 706 8288

Email: tristan.macdonald@ceced.eu

CECED - Diamant conference centre - 80 boulevard Auguste Reyers - 1030 Brussels - Belgium

Tel: +32 (02) 706.82.90 - Fax: +32 (02) 706.82.89 - e-mail: secretariat@ceced.be