EU law-makers hammer out deal on WEEE

EU – Member state officials meeting in Brussels have backed an agreement on a new waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) directive reached with European Parliament negotiators.

According to the ENDS news service, these talks were the fourth and final attempt to reach a second-reading deal on the proposed recast. Failure would have triggered conciliation talks and would have further delayed entry into force of the new law.

One of the main elements of the deal is a change in the way the collection target is calculated. Member states and Parliament negotiators agreed to keep the existing method until four years after the law’s entry into force, which may be around 2012/13. Member states would then have to meet an interim collection target of 45% of WEEE placed on the market, based on the same method. The European Commission’s proposed 65% target would apply seven years after entry into force in around 2020.

Alternatively, member states will be able to choose a target based on a calculation method proposed by the European Parliament. This target, which will also apply seven years after entry into force, is to collect 85% of WEEE generated each year.

Other important aspects of the deal include an agreement to open up the scope of the law after six years, despite industry concerns. Members of the European Parliament initially said all electronic products should be covered straight away; the directive currently applies only to a specific list of products.

All equipment that meets a definition outlined in the law will eventually be covered, except for a list of specific products.

The new directive also requires large electronic and electrical goods shops to set up collection points for used small equipment – a key Parliament demand but one initially opposed by member states.