The European Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for the WEEE Directive is due to meet on December 17, 2003, when the DTI is looking for Member States to be more specific about what types of equipment are covered by the legislation and what equipment is exempt.
The issue of scope is especially important to manufacturers, who have producer and financial responsibility for the recycling and treatment of equipment, and want to see uniform application of the Directive across Europe to avoid unfair competition.
Speaking at a WEEE Directive Conference in London yesterday, Dr Mark Downs, head of recycling at the DTI, said: “The scope is very broad indeed. In the UK we have been trying to lead the discussion in Europe as to what is included in the Directive. For 90% of cases the answer is clear but for about 10% it is not that clear.”
The WEEE Directive sets targets for the collection and recycling of WEEE, but includes some exemptions to the legislation. This has led to “grey-areas” on how to apply the legislation, including the exemption and categorisation of military equipment and control systems.
While the TAC has legal authority on some areas of the WEEE and Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directives, it can only set standards in others. In terms of scope of the WEEE Directive anything the TAC decides will be guidance only, Dr Downs said.
Despite this lack of power, he insisted it was important to have an agreement over scope in place. Dr Downs said: “We do need agreement at a European level and the TAC has allowed Member States to try to narrow down the amount of uncertainty that exists.”
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