Activites

• 2003/02/13 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Directive 2002/96
  • OJ L 037 13.02.2003, p. 0024-0039
• 2003/01/27 Final act signed
• 2003/01/27 End of procedure in Parliament
• #2476
• 2002/12/19 Council Meeting
• 2002/12/18 Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading
  • T5-0620/2002 summary

    The European Parliament adopted a resolution approving the joint text by the Conciliation Committee. (Please refer to the document dated 08/11/02). �

• 2002/12/17 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2002/11/08 Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs
  • 3663/2002
• 2002/10/10 Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading
  • A5-0438/2002
• 2002/10/10 Final decision by Conciliation Committee
• 2002/09/12 Formal meeting of Conciliation Committee
• 2002/08/02 Parliament's amendments rejected by Council
• 2002/04/10 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T5-0160/2002 summary

    By adopting the report by Mr Karl-Heinz FLORENZ (EPP-ED, D), the European Parliament approved the common position along with the amendments proposed by the committee responsible (please refer to the summary dated 21/03/02). In particular, the Parliament passed a set of amendments which repeat its first-reading demand for an average compulsory collection target of 6 kg of electro-scrap per inhabitant, per year, from private households, to be achieved by 31 December 2005. Moreover, Parliament want Member States to prove that the collection target has been reached and also voted to back the ban with inspection and monitoring facilities but rejected the idea of introducing penalties for consumers who fail to sort out their electro-scrap. Parliament also repeated its first-reading demand that individual producer be made to bare the costs of managing the waste from their products, though with a derogation allowing the Member States to use collective financing schemes on condition that they can prove that individual ones would be disproportionately costly. It voted to allow Member States that have already introduced other financing arrangements to retain them, but for no longer than 10 years. MEPs raised the targets for recovery of large household appliances such as fridges and washing machines to 90% (from the Council's 80%) and included automatic dispensers in this. They left the Council's re-use and recycling target for large household appliances at 75%. They raised the recovery target for items such as PCs, phones, radios and hi-fi equipment to 85% (from the Council's 75%) and left the Council's re-use an recycling target for those items at 65%. They want the deadline for these targets brought forward to 31 December 2005 (from the Council's 46 months after the directive becomes law). Lastly, Parliament also wants ozone-depleting gases to be removed from all equipment containing them, not just refrigerators and freezers. Other amendments tighten up the provisions on information for users about the new rules and require products to be marked to show that they must not be binned.�

• 2002/04/09 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2002/03/21 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
  • A5-0100/2002
• 2001/12/13 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #2393
• 2001/12/04 Council Meeting
  • 11304/1/2001 summary

    The common position, adopted unanimously, accepts 31 of the 82 amendments proposed by the European parliament at first reading. Among the amendments not accepted by the Council, it should be noted that these refer in particular to: the reference to extend producer responsibility; the ban on the disposal of unsorted WEEE; "job creation in the field of waste management"; mentioning the term "producer reponsibility"; the financial mechanism for the implementation of producer responsibility; information to users on the ban on disposal of unsorted WEEE; information to be provided by producers for the management of the WEEE; inspection and monitoring system; the scope of the Directive; the definition of "producers"; "consumables" in the definition of WEEE; mentioning "whole appliances and components" in the definition of reuse; adding a definition of "collection facilities" the use of certified management facilities"; rules for calculating the targets of Article 6; on the definition of new targets for certain categories of WEEE; the development of new waste management technologies; internalisation of waste management costs as well as on a mechanism for the financing of WEEE from private households; a ban on disposal of unsorted WEEE; information to users; the making of WEEE; distance selling; information requirements for producers; waste management plans; enforcement rules; category 1 of Annex IB; separation collection of WEEE. The main changes adopted by the Council in addition to those resulting from Parliaments concern: - exempting WEEE used in connection with military and security activities; - providing for specific temporary exemption for small busineses in relation to Articles 7 and 8; - the introduction of the clause "at least free of charge" for the take-back of WEEE by distributors; - provides precision on the responsibilty falling on distributors and allows for alternative arrangements for free-take back by distributors; - adding requirements in order to ensure that appliances are treated unless they are reused as a whole; - changing the date for the achievement of the separate collection targets (36 months instead of 31.12.2005 in the Commission's proposal); - adding the possibility for producers to implement treatment requirements through third parties activing on their behalf. In addition, it sets out quality standards for treatment facilities; - setting out supplementary conditions to be included in the permit for treatment facilities; - providing for requirements in relation to the calculation of targets, in particular for keeping of records by producers and third parties; - changing the date for achievements of the targets to 46 months instead of 31.12.2005 in the Commission proposal. It also introduces quantified targets for recycling and recovery of category 10 appliances; - rewording the clause referring to the financial requirements; - introducing a new provision calling on producers to finance the management of "orphan products"; - introducing requirement for producers using distance-selling techniques; - providing for precision on the producers responsibility for WEEE from users other than private households; - providing for additional requirements for information to be provided to users; - providing for additional requirements for information to be submitted by producers using distance-selling techniques; - providing for additional competence to the Committee for adapting the Directive to scientific and technical progress; - providing for possibility for Member States to transpose certain provisions by means of environmental agreements; - making certain derogations possible for Greece and Ireland in relation to certain requests; - providing for precision introduced in several categories on the products to be taken into consideration of the purposes of the Directive.�

• #2355
• 2001/06/07 Council Meeting
• 2001/06/06 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(2001)0315 summary

    A substantial number of amendments were accepted in full or in part, or in principle by the Commission. The following were accepted in full: - most of the amendments regarding the scope of the Directive, including those relating to medical equipment. - most of the amendments relating to definitions, except the references to "consumables" in the WEEE. - on collections, systems to handle waste may be set up by producers individually or collectively. - most amendments on recovery including that increasing the quantified targets for recycling and recovery of WEEE - on information requirements, those extending the obligations of producers to users, and the possibility of penalties for failure to comply with separate-collection obligations. The following amendments were accepted in part or in principle: - on collection, there are amendments establishing a number of obligations. The Commission accepts part, but cannot permit Member States to depart from the free take back provision. It has doubts about the requirement to conduct recovery operations pursuant to certified management systems. The reference to 6kg/person/year is accepted but reworded. The definition of "collection facility" can be accepted in principle but is reworded. - on treatment requirements, most amendments are accepted in principle. The requirements to be complied with in case of export of WEEE de facto amend the regulation on waste shipment. It is not appropriate to derogate from general rules on this in relation to recovery of WEEE, and the amendment is not accepted. The Commission suggests restricting the scope of the provision to shipment for disposal. - on financing, the amendment that producers may be called upon to finance or co-finance collection from households can be accepted in principle. Responsibility for historical waste may be shared according to market share at time of a rising of cost, but the word "collectively" is deleted. - most of the amendments on reporting requirements may be accepted but are subject to rewording. - the change to the transposition deadline can be accepted, subject to possible review at the time of adoption of the directive. Some twenty two amendments were not accepted, amongst which was the introduction of limits to the reuse of whole appliances. This would be difficult to implement. �

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/', 'title': 'Environment'}],
• 2001/05/15 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
  • T5-0246/2001 summary

    The European Parliament voted to endorse the report by Mr Karl-Heinz FLORENZ (EPP/ED, D) concerning the waste electrical and electronic equipment. (Please refer to the previous text). It should also be added that Mrs Margot Wallstrom, Environment Commissioner, pointed to the significant dangers in the increase of electrical and electronic waste. She also stressed the need for EU-wide coordination. She then listed the substantial number of amendments that she could accept in full or in principle. However, there were a number that would require further negotiation between the institutions. �

• 2001/04/24 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0148/2001
• #2321
• 2000/12/18 Council Meeting
  • 2321
• #2295
• 2000/10/10 Council Meeting
  • 2295
• 2000/09/08 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 2000/06/13 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(2000)0347 summary

    PURPOSE : to present a proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste electrical and electronic equipment. CONTENT : the purpose of this Directive is, as a first priority, the prevention of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), and in addition, the re-use, recycling and other forms of recovery of such wastes so as to reduce the disposal of waste. It also seeks to improve the environmental performance of all economic operators involved in the life cycle of electrical and electronic equipment and in particular operators directly involved in the treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment. The proposed Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment will contribute to the protection of human health and the environment as required by Article 174 of the Treaty. The principle objectives of this proposal are to protect the soil, water and air from pollution caused by current management of WEEE, to avoid the generation of waste, which has to be disposed of and to reduce the harmfulness of WEEE. It seeks to preserve valuable resources, in particular energy. Another objective of the proposed Directive is the harmonisation of national measures on the management of WEEE. The objectives are to be achieved by means of a wide range of measures, including measures on the separate collection of WEEE, the treatment of WEEE and the recovery of such waste. In addition, producers should take the responsibility for certain phases of the waste management of their products. This financial or physical responsibility creates an economic incentive for producers to to adapt the design of their products to the prerequisites of sound waste management. Separate collection of WEEE has to be ensured through appropriate systems, so that users can return their electrical and electronic equipment. Furthermore, in order to ensure improved treatment and re-use/recycling of WEEE, producers have to set up appropriate systems. Member States shall ensure that any establishment or undertaking carrying out treatment operations obtains a permit from the competent authorities. The derogation from the permit requirement may apply to recovery operations concerning WEEE if an inspection is carried out by the competent authorities before the registration in order to ensure compliance with Article 4 of Directive 75/442/EEC. The inspection shall verify: - the type and quantities of waste to be treated; - the general technical requirements to be complied with; - the safety precautions to be taken. The inspections shall be carried out once a year.�

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/', 'title': 'Environment'}],

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(2000)0347
• Debate in Council: 2295
• Debate in Council: 2321
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A5-0148/2001
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0246/2001
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(2001)0315
• Council position published: 11304/1/2001
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A5-0100/2002
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T5-0160/2002
• Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading: A5-0438/2002
• Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs: 3663/2002
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading: T5-0620/2002
• : Directive 2002/96
• : OJ L 037 13.02.2003, p. 0024-0039

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)