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Taking care of producer responsibility in Europe

The obligation to appoint an authorized representative is statutory in several EU countries. A producer who is doing EU distance selling to another EU country, must appoint an authorized representative in that country, to carry out the producer responsibility obligations. An authorised representative fullfills those obligations on behalf of the producer, in accordance with the local law.

EU-distance selling means selling electric and electronic equipment straight to the end user to another EU country. The end user can be a business or a person who is buying the product for its own use and doesn´t resale. Authorized representative is not a part of the sales chain. It can be a local producer compliance organization or a service company who is organizing the collection and recycling of waste electric and electronic equipment. If the country of destination does not require the appointment of an authorised representative, the company is registered with the local producer compliance organisation. The producer reports the amount of electric and electronic equipment they have put on market to the authorized representative (or local producer compliance organization) which reports the numbers to the local authorities. The authorities reports to the European Commission.

Finnish companies need to register in each country separately, as legislation and practices vary slightly from country to country. Elker is part of the European cooperation network weee Europe AG, whose members are the best experts in the legislation and practice of each country. Like Elker, the partners are non-profit organizations. You can register as a producer in different countries and thus report centrally on a one-stop-shop basis.

Prices and contacts: info (a) weee-europe.com

weee Europe AG members and partners:

Austria: UFH
Belgium: batteries Bebat, EEE Recupel
Bulgaria: Ecobultech / Ecobulbatterien
Cyprus: WEEE Cyprus
Czech: Asekol
Denmark: Elretur (authorized representative AR Europe)
Estonia: EES-Ringlus
France: batteries Corepile, EEE Ecosystem
Germany: ZENTEK
Creek: Appliances Recycling S.A (authorized representative AMMON OVIS)
Ireland: WEEE Ireland (authorized representative Harvard Consulting)
Italy: ERION (authorized representative Avv. Maurizio Iorio)
Latvia: Latvijas Zaļais punkts, JST
Lithuania: EGIO
Luxembourg: Ecotrel/Ecobatterien
Netherlands: batteries Stibat, EEE Wecycle
Norway: NORSIRK
Poland: Asekol
Portugal: Electrao (authorized representative 3Drivers)
Romania: ecotic
Slovakia: ASEKOL
Slovenia: ZEOS d.o.o.
Spain: Ecotic (authorized representative Gestec)
Sweden: El-Kretsen
Switzerland: batteries Inobat, EEE SENS SWICO
UK: REPIC