The EU Council today has adopted amendments to the EU law on waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), marking a significant step towards streamlining regulations in the sector. The amendments come in response to a 2022 EU Court of Justice judgment highlighting the partial invalidity of the directive due to unjustified retroactive application.
According to the adopted amendments, the costs of managing and disposing of waste from photovoltaic panels placed on the market after August 13, 2012, will now rest with the producer of the Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE). This move aims to clarify the responsibility and streamline the process in handling such waste.
Furthermore, the extended producer responsibility for EEE products added to the directive’s scope in 2018 will now apply to those e-products put on the market after that date. This measure ensures a more comprehensive coverage of producer responsibility, aligning with evolving market dynamics.
An essential aspect of these amendments is the introduction of a review clause. The Commission is mandated to assess the need for further revisions to the directive by no later than 2026. This provision underlines the commitment to continuous improvement and adaptation to changing circumstances in the waste management landscape.
The adoption process of these amendments has been thorough. The Commission proposed targeted amendments to the WEEE Directive in February 2023, followed by negotiations and a provisional political agreement reached by the co-legislators in November 2023. The European Parliament formally voted on the agreement in February 2024.
With the Council’s vote today, the adoption procedure draws to a close. The text of the amendments will be signed by the co-legislators, published in the EU’s Official Journal, and will enter into force 20 days later. Member states will then have up to 18 months to transpose the amended directive into their national laws.
These amendments mark a significant milestone in the EU’s efforts to enhance waste management practices, ensuring a more sustainable and efficient approach towards handling electrical and electronic equipment waste.
