Main priorities & proposals for further proceedings on WEEE Recast

Following the vote of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee on 22 June 2010 on the draft report of Rapporteur Florenz and the Council’s progress report of 11 June 2010 on the Commission’s proposal for a recast Directive 2002/96/EC on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and in view of the European institutions’ further proceedings on the matter, Orgalime would like to provide its main priorities and proposals for the way forward. These aim at ensuring sustainable legislation, which will both take due account of the considerable investment made by producers for the setting up of WEEE management schemes in record time, while bringing about those adjustments needed to improve the existing legislation for the environment and for producers whether large or small.

Considering that several substantial proposals for modifications to the initial Commission proposal are suggested by the EP or the Council, Orgalime is doubtful about the feasibility of concluding discussions between the institutions in first reading and invites the institutions to take the necessary time to arrive at quality legislation, which is coherent, enforceable and workable in practice.

Producers are committed to the environmental objectives of WEEE, and in particular to treat 100% of WEEE returned to them. We believe that the following general aspects are essential for the recast:

• Making WEEE management a success in practice requires clearly defined obligations for all actors in the multi-stakeholder process of WEEE management.

• We ask regulators to stick with the remits of a recast, namely to iron out shortcomings of the implementation process of initial WEEE Directive while building upon its elements that have proven reliable and are delivering.

• In line with Better/Smart Regulation principles, the recast should not introduce substantial changes without proper impact assessment and interinstitutional agreement.