EU WEEE Directive (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive)

This card focuses on the specific operational practice for the "annual Member State WEEE collection rate targets" under Article 7, and the "obligation to provide free take-back infrastructure for consumers and distributors" under Article 5, of the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (Directive 2012/19/EU, the WEEE Directive). Since 2019, Member States have been legally required to achieve an annual collection rate of either 65% of the average weight of EEE (electrical and electronic equipment) placed on the market over the preceding three years, or 85% of the WEEE generated in that year. To meet this target, Member States must require retailers and distributors to provide free take-back of an old item of the same type upon sale of a new one (so-called "one-for-one" collection), as well as free take-back of very small WEEE (with no external dimension exceeding 25 cm) without any obligation to purchase a new product.

This card focuses on the specific operational practice for the "recycling (preparing for reuse plus recycling) and recovery rate targets by EEE category" under Article 11 and Annexes VII and VIII of the WEEE Directive (Directive 2012/19/EU), and the "obligation to pre-sort hazardous substances" at treatment facilities. Since August 15, 2018, EEE has been reclassified into six collection categories (temperature exchange equipment, screens and monitors, lamps, large equipment, small equipment, and small IT and telecommunications equipment), each with different recycling and recovery rate targets. Target levels are set within a range of 75%–85% (recovery) and 55%–80% (recycling), depending on the characteristics of each category — for example, at least 80% recovery and 75% recycling for temperature exchange equipment, and at least 85% recovery and 80% recycling for large equipment. Before recycling rates can be calculated, treatment facilities are legally required to carry out the full removal of fluids and the sorting of hazardous substances and components (such as refrigerants, capacitors, and mercury-containing parts) as set out in Annex VII.

This card focuses on the specific operational practice for the registration and financing obligations under the "extended producer responsibility (EPR)" system established by Articles 12 and 13 of the WEEE Directive (Directive 2012/19/EU), and for the "clarification of retroactive financing responsibility for photovoltaic panels and open-scope products" introduced by amending Directive (EU) 2024/884. Based on EPR principles, the WEEE Directive requires EEE manufacturers and importers (producers) to finance the collection, treatment, recycling, and environmentally sound disposal of WEEE arising from their products. In January 2022, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that it was unlawful to retroactively require producers to finance the treatment of waste from photovoltaic panels placed on the market between August 13, 2005 and August 13, 2012. Following this judgment, amending Directive (EU) 2024/884 clarified that producer financing responsibility applies, for photovoltaic panels, only to products placed on the market from August 13, 2012 onward, and for open-scope products (the product categories brought within the WEEE Directive's scope on August 15, 2018), only to products placed on the market from August 15, 2018 onward. The amendment also introduces a provision updating EEE labelling to the latest European standard (EN 50419:2022).

This card focuses on the specific numerical targets and compliance calculation practice for the 'mandatory collection rates,' 'recycling/reuse rates,' and 'total recovery rates (including energy recovery)' set by product category under the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive: Directive 2012/19/EU) and the End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation (ELV Regulation: Regulation Proposal COM(2023) 451 / Directive 2000/53/EC). Under Annex III of the WEEE Directive, six product categories (large household appliances, small household appliances, IT and telecommunications equipment, lighting equipment, electrical and electronic tools, and toys/leisure and sports equipment) are subject to Member State-level minimum collection targets based on either the weight placed on the market (65% threshold) or the weight generated (85% threshold), together with recovery targets ranging from 55% to 85% depending on the category. Under the ELV Regulation, vehicles are also subject to strict targets of a minimum 95% 'reuse and recovery' rate and a minimum 85% 'reuse and recycling' rate, calculated against the average weight of an end-of-life vehicle, requiring advanced circular material recovery practices.