EU legislation: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

If you want to export electronic or electrical products to the EU, you have to take into account that your EU buyers have obligations regarding the waste of these products. EU producers (and the authorities of the EU Member States) are obliged to set up and participate in product take-back schemes. As such, the legislation on Waste of Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) does not directly affect exporters from developing countries. However, its requirements may have an impact when EU buyers ask their suppliers to meet specific design requirements or provide certain information.

This document provides an outline of the EU legislation regulating collection and recycling schemes with regard to WEEE. Moreover, the consequences for exporters from developing countries are discussed.

The WEEE Directive is closely related to the EU Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment. For more information on the RoHS Directive, refer to the document on RoHS in the database.