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WEEE registration: EPR for electronics
Last checked · 3 min read
You need a WEEE registration as soon as you sell electrical or electronic equipment, from a charger or an LED lamp to an electric toothbrush. WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, and as with packaging you register in every country where you deliver to consumers. Unlike packaging, there is no kilogram threshold anywhere: the first appliance counts.
- +WEEE covers anything with a plug or a battery, including small accessories and toys with electronics.
- +You register per country, often per brand and equipment category, and before your first sale.
- +Selling at a distance to consumers in a country where you have no establishment requires an authorised representative there. The EU WEEE Directive has required that since 2012.
- +In Germany you receive a WEEE-Reg.-Nr. from stiftung ear, which Amazon and Kaufland ask for.
Which products fall under WEEE?
Any equipment that depends on electric currents or electromagnetic fields to work. That is broader than most sellers expect: not only laptops and fridges, but also cables with electronics, lighting, electric toys, smart gadgets, power tools and personal care devices. The EU groups them in six categories:
- Temperature exchange equipment (fridges, air conditioners)
- Screens and monitors
- Lamps
- Large equipment
- Small equipment
- Small IT and telecommunication equipment
If the appliance contains batteries, you also need a registration for batteries. The box you ship it in falls under packaging EPR.
WEEE registration per country
| Country | Where you register | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | stiftung ear | WEEE-Reg.-Nr. DE per brand and equipment type |
| France | ecosystem or Ecologic | A UIN for electronics |
| Netherlands | Stichting OPEN | Registration and a fee per appliance |
| Belgium | Recupel | Membership and a fee per appliance |
Germany: stiftung ear and the WEEE number
Germany is the strictest country for electronics. Under the ElektroG you register every brand and equipment type with stiftung ear before you sell the first unit. You receive a WEEE registration number, which you show on invoices and which marketplaces ask for. For equipment that reaches private households you also provide a financial guarantee for its later collection.
Without an establishment in Germany you cannot register yourself and must appoint an authorised representative (Bevollmächtigter). You then report the quantities you placed on the market periodically.
Selling at a distance: the authorised representative
The EU WEEE Directive (2012/19/EU) requires a producer selling online directly to consumers in another EU country to appoint an authorised representative there who takes on its obligations. A Dutch webshop selling electronics to Germany, France and Belgium therefore needs three representatives, on top of the registrations themselves.
The crossed-out wheelie bin symbol
Electrical equipment must carry the crossed-out wheelie bin symbol, so consumers know it does not belong in general waste. For France, the Triman sorting information comes on top. Check that your supplier applies it correctly: as the producer, you are responsible.
What marketplaces ask for
Amazon asks for your WEEE registration number for Germany and your electronics UIN for France, and blocks listings in those countries when they are missing. Kaufland asks for a WEEE number for electronics. See Amazon and other marketplaces.
You report per equipment category and per country, in units or kilograms depending on the country. That means knowing, per product, which category it falls into and what it weighs. The steps are in the EPR registration guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a WEEE number?
The registration number you receive once you are registered as a producer of electrical equipment. In Germany that is the WEEE-Reg.-Nr. from stiftung ear, in France your electronics UIN.
Do I need a WEEE registration for a charging cable?
A cable without electronics usually not, a charger or a cable with electronics yes. The line is technical; check with the country's registration body.
Is there a threshold for WEEE?
No. Unlike packaging in the Netherlands or Belgium, WEEE registration applies from the first appliance.
I sell another brand's electronics. Am I the producer?
If you are first to place the appliance on a country's market, for example because you import it or sell it at a distance to consumers there, you are the producer for that country, even if the brand is not yours.
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This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, thresholds and deadlines are set by the schemes themselves and they change. Check what applies to your situation with the scheme or an adviser.