The WEEE number
Definition and innovation from 01.07.2023
Definition: What exactly is the WEEE number?
You are a provider or even manufacturer of electrical or electronic equipment? You have already heard about the new obligation to indicate the WEEE number, but the full implications are not yet 100% clear to you?
The WEEE number itself is not new. New from 01.07.2023, however, is the Obligation to name the WEEE number. The registration and especially the identification of an existing WEEE number is now mandatory. Especially online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay are increasingly obliged to check this number for online offers. Violations will be punished with immediate effect.
Definition of WEEE number
Since its introduction, the WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU has regulated the sale as well as the return and proper disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment throughout Europe. This directive has already been in force since August 13, 2012.
The abbreviation “WEEE” stands for „Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment“.
The respective EU member states have incorporated the WEEE Directive into their national laws. In Germany, this is done through the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act. The WEEE Directives and the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act work collectively through this.
WEEE Registration: Who is affected?
All manufacturers who place electrical or electronic equipment on the market must register for the WEEE number. Manufacturer is who:
manufactures electrical/electronic equipment under its own brand or name and sells it in Germany.
has electrical/electronic equipment manufactured and subsequently sells it under its name/brand.
Acts as an importer and first imports electronic equipment into Germany and then distributes it.
sells electrical/electronic equipment to a direct end customer but does not have a registered office in Germany.
As a business owner/distributor, distributes new electrical/electronic equipment from a non-registered manufacturer.
Costs and fees of the WEEE number
Although the mere registration of a product (or the application for the WEEE registration number) costs only €191.50 per manufacturer, brand and type of equipment, additional costs may be incurred, such as:
- Costs for changing the registration data
- Costs in the event that an application cannot be submitted via the electronic online portal: between €16.80 and €671.10
- Costs for the insolvency-proof guarantee, recycling costs and – if your company’s registered office is not in Germany – costs for an authorized representative
The question of how high the costs for the entire registration process are in individual cases can therefore not be answered in a general way, but depends on the respective manufacturer and the individual situation.
A distinction must also be made between devices that can be used in private households and those that are only used in a business environment (for example, devices used by doctors).
Apply for WEEE number
This is the registration process
If you do not already have a WEEE number, you should consider applying for one now. Without the registered number, you will not be able to sell your item and will have to accept a loss of sales.
Die Stiftung EAR (Elektro-Altgeräte Register) teilt Ihnen zeitnah das Ergebnis Ihrer Registrierung mit. Der Registrierungsprozess erfolgt in folgenden Schritten:
- Create an account in the online portal of stiftung ear
- Deposit the complete registration data of your article (brand & type of device)
- Deposit the insolvency-proof guarantee
- Upload all relevant documents for your device (for products in the business sector also product brochure, image or brochure material)
- Approx. 8-10 weeks after application you will receive feedback on the registration and in the best case your personal WEEE number.
Which products are covered by the WEEE registration obligation?
The § 2 Abs.1 ElektroG and the corresponding list in Annex I List of categories and devices in the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act define which devices fall under the WEEE labeling and registration obligation.
Basically, the following devices can be named:
Large and small domestic appliances
Information and telecommunication technology equipment
Consumer electronics devices
Lighting fixture
electrical and electronic tools (exception: stationary large industrial tools)
Toys, sports and recreational equipment
specific medical devices
Monitoring and control instruments and
automatic output devices.
Questions related to the WEEE number and easybill
Are you a manufacturer or distributor of electronic items? Then you are probably also affected by the new regulation and must now store all WEEE numbers that you have per shipping destination with your products.
If necessary, we can clarify the most important questions about the WEEE number in advance.
The online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay specify the WEEE number as mandatory information. This is checked, as well as the brand and the category. If there is no valid registration number, the marketplace will block the sale of the item.
Yes. You can enter your existing WEEE numbers via your account. These will be displayed on your documents depending on the destination country.
As a minimum, you need the easybill PLUS membership. Only up from PLUS membership the Import Manager is included, which you need for the connection of marketplaces and online stores.
With easybill, your data is in the best hands. Your data is stored exclusively on servers in Germany and protected by modern encryption standards. As an additional safeguard, two-factor authentication (2FA) is available to you. Everything about account security in easybill.
Cancellation of the account only terminates the paid package. The account remains in the free FREE package. You will continue to have access to data and documents as long as the FREE account is actively used. Please note that we reserve the right to delete the free account after 90 days of inactivity.
To be able to test all features, our 7-day free trial period always includes the BUSINESS membership.
