According to Lora Compliance, companies operating in the German market will be legally required to sign up to the Stiftung Elektro-Altgeräte Register, the ‘common body of manufacturers’ which registers the manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment in an update to the German WEEE Act ElektrogG.
As a result, from 15th August 2018, all electrical and electronic equipment will fall under the scope of WEEE legislation, unless it is specifically excluded.
Companies which are launching products onto the German market for the first time are able to apply for registration from the beginning of May 2018. Due to lengthy processing times, Lorax warns that it is important that companies that bring devices into the market check in good time before applications open on 1st May and regulations apply from 15th August.
Existing registrations will be transferred to the new WEEE categories from 26th October, but brands will have to take responsibility for checking the registration is correct and informing Stiftung EAR if it needs to be changed. The legislator has granted a transitional period until 31st December 2018. By this time, companies must have the correct new registrations.
The updates to WEEE legislation are EU-wide and will apply from 15th August. Under the changes, the ten previous WEEE categories into which electronics items are placed have been reduced to six. All EU countries have been given the autonomy to implement their own sub-categories. Countries such as Finland and Germany have already implemented the legislative changes. Others have delayed announcing what these will be until the August deadline or even, in some cases, until January 2019.
Commenting Michelle Carvell, COO of Lorax Compliance, called on companies which sell electronic goods in Germany to act now to ensure compliance. “Registration of EEE in Germany can be a lengthy process, so ensure your goods are registered in the correct category in plenty of time. Any work required will need to be done well in advance of the deadlines.”