Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): financing

2003/0084(COD)
PURPOSE : to amend Directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment in order to clarify the rules applying to the financing of historical waste from non-household sources in Article 9, so as to avoid the concerns raised in relation to the implications. CONTENT : to recall, the European Parliament and the Council recently adopted Directive 2002/96/EC which provides for the collection and environmentally sound treatment of WEEE. The original Commission proposal left the financing of historical waste from non-household sources to agreement between producers and users of the equipment at the time of purchase. During the first reading, this provision was changed into a formulation stipulating that the financing of the cost of management shall be provided for by producers. At that time, this was acceptable to all the institutions. However, it wasn't until the final stages of the adoption of the WEEE Directive was the attention of the institutions drawn to the financing implications of Article 9 of this Directive. As no second reading amendment was made on this article, it was impossible to change the text at that stage. Nevertheless, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission agreed on a Joint Declaration stating their intention to examine this issue at the earliest occasion and if necessary propose an amendment to Article 9 of the Directive. This proposal follows up this declaration. The proposal changes the responsibility to finance historical waste from non-household sources from producers of the waste equipment to producers supplying a new product, where such a new product exists. For historical waste that its not replaced by new products, the users other than private households shall be responsible. It should also be noted that this proposal does not alter any of the rules applying to household sources nor the individual responsibility applying to the financing of new waste from non-household sources nor any other aspect of the WEEE Directive.�