Registrations cannot be cancelled intra-year. They are issued on a calendar-year basis and zero returns are required to be submitted by the respective year-end at which the registration can be cancelled. Companies that no longer exist are excepted.
A distinction is drawn between large-scale (more than 5 tonnes of electrical equipment placed on the market in the previous year or for the first time in the current year) and small-scale WEEE manufacturers (less than 5 tonnes of electrical equipment in the previous year or for the first time in the current year).
Small-scale manufacturers do not pay direct recycling contributions, but the B2C tonnages of small-scale manufacturers are included in the UK market data and therefore also taken into account in the annual UK recycling targets. In order to be considered as no longer committed, the regulations require B2C manufacturers to remain registered as such for a full year and to place zero tonnes of mandatory EEE on the market to prove that they are no longer engaged as manufacturers. In addition, large-scale manufacturers must remain members of a Producer Compliance Scheme (PCS) in the year immediately after the last compliance period in which they placed more than 5 tonnes of EEE on the UK market.
Registration as a WEEE producer for a further year and the zero returns to be submitted for that year applies irrespective of the registration status as a small-scale / large-scale producer. Failure to register would constitute a criminal offence and the manufacturer may face enforcement measures imposed by the Environment Agency.
However, small-scale manufacturers have the option of registering directly through the Authority (NPWD) rather than through a scheme, which can be a helpful option in these circumstances. However, direct registration with the Authority is only possible with a registered office in the UK.
Non-UK based manufacturers: Manufacturers from other countries must either appoint an authorised representative based in the UK or join a UK-approved PCS to register WEEE, although producers with more than 5 tonnes of EEE must in principle join a PCS. Manufacturers from other countries with less than 5 tonnes do not need to join a PCS but do need an authorised representative based in the UK. If you wish to register in the UK as a manufacturer of WEEE, batteries or packaging, please contact our consultancy via beratung@take-e-way.de or call +49/40/750687-0.
For further information on mandatory labelling of products or packaging, the trade-e-bility consultancy team will be pleased to assist you via beratung@trade-e-bility.de or +49/40/75068730-0.
For particulars on our international compliance services related to placing electronic equipment, batteries/rechargeable cells and packaged products or packaging on the market, please click on the following link: https://www.take-e-way.com/international-compliance/
