The common position, adopted unanimously, accepts 31 of the 82 amendments proposed by the European parliament at first reading.
Among the amendments not accepted by the Council, it should be noted that these refer in particular to: the reference to extend producer responsibility; the ban on the disposal of unsorted WEEE; "job creation in the field of waste management"; mentioning the term "producer reponsibility"; the financial mechanism for the implementation of producer responsibility; information to users on the ban on disposal of unsorted WEEE; information to be provided by producers for the management of the WEEE; inspection and monitoring system; the scope of the Directive; the definition of "producers"; "consumables" in the definition of WEEE; mentioning "whole appliances and components" in the definition of reuse; adding a definition of "collection facilities" the use of certified management facilities"; rules for calculating the targets of Article 6; on the definition of new targets for certain categories of WEEE; the development of new waste management technologies; internalisation of waste management costs as well as on a mechanism for the financing of WEEE from private households; a ban on disposal of unsorted WEEE; information to users; the making of WEEE; distance selling; information requirements for producers; waste management plans; enforcement rules; category 1 of Annex IB; separation collection of WEEE.
The main changes adopted by the Council in addition to those resulting from Parliaments concern:
- exempting WEEE used in connection with military and security activities;
- providing for specific temporary exemption for small busineses in relation to Articles 7 and 8;
- the introduction of the clause "at least free of charge" for the take-back of WEEE by distributors;
- provides precision on the responsibilty falling on distributors and allows for alternative arrangements for free-take back by distributors;
- adding requirements in order to ensure that appliances are treated unless they are reused as a whole;
- changing the date for the achievement of the separate collection targets (36 months instead of 31.12.2005 in the Commission's proposal);
- adding the possibility for producers to implement treatment requirements through third parties activing on their behalf. In addition, it sets out quality standards for treatment facilities;
- setting out supplementary conditions to be included in the permit for treatment facilities;
- providing for requirements in relation to the calculation of targets, in particular for keeping of records by producers and third parties;
- changing the date for achievements of the targets to 46 months instead of 31.12.2005 in the Commission proposal. It also introduces quantified targets for recycling and recovery of category 10 appliances;
- rewording the clause referring to the financial requirements;
- introducing a new provision calling on producers to finance the management of "orphan products";
- introducing requirement for producers using distance-selling techniques;
- providing for precision on the producers responsibility for WEEE from users other than private households;
- providing for additional requirements for information to be provided to users;
- providing for additional requirements for information to be submitted by producers using distance-selling techniques;
- providing for additional competence to the Committee for adapting the Directive to scientific and technical progress;
- providing for possibility for Member States to transpose certain provisions by means of environmental agreements;
- making certain derogations possible for Greece and Ireland in relation to certain requests;
- providing for precision introduced in several categories on the products to be taken into consideration of the purposes of the Directive.�