Last updated on August 18, 2006
WEEE Information:
RECUPEL is the Belgian WEEE system in charge of take-back obligations for producers and importers of electric/electronic products on the Belgian market. Recupel was launched in Belgium in 2001, well ahead of August 13, 2005 mandatory EU implementation date, and was one of the first such organizations to become operational in Europe.
The Recupel site, which also has an English version, has very detailed information on all aspects of the WEEE history, legislative context (European, and 3 Regions in Belgium), take-back obligation, electrical and electronic sectors covered with a listing of products in each sector, registration procedure for importers and manufacturers, foreign suppliers, etc.
Belgium WEEE legislation information is only available in Belgium's national languages (French and Dutch) and is available on the www.recupel.be site at general WEEE information. Tel: +32 2 706 8618.
WEEE legislation is fully implemented in Belgium, and companies selling electric and electronic products on the Belgium market must be able to prove they are meeting their take-back obligations. Currently, the only option for companies is to join a local take-back scheme (Recupel).
Currently, there is no national registration for WEEE compliance at the federal government level. In Belgium, administrative procedures related to the environment are dealt by the three regional authorities. Manufacturers and importers that have not registered with Recupel through an Entry Agreement have theoretically the option to submit their own waste management plan to the relevant regional Belgium authorities: Wallonia - DGRNE (OWD), Flanders - OVAM and Brussels - IBGE. However, government registration through the regional authorities is not possible at this stage since the Belgium regional authorities currently are not set up to take registrations. Consequently, there are no deadline dates set up for registration with the Belgium government authorities, and companies currently have no other choice than joining a collective system (Recupel).
Registration with a collective system to fulfill legal take-back obligations:
Producers and importers should register with Recupel as the simplest way to fulfill legal take-back obligations in Belgium, as long as their products fall into one of Recupel's current sectors and listing of products. Please see: Recupel site
Only the listed product lines are handled by Recupel and associated take-back organizations. This list of product categories is reconsidered/expanded every year.
Recupel does not deal with take-back obligations for products that do not fall into these categories. Companies with products not listed in Recupel's sub-sectors listings should contact Agoria, Belgium’s trade federation for the technology industry.
Contacts: Bert.Dhooghe@agoria.be or Filip.Geerts@agoria.be
Belgium allows foreign companies to register but not to shoulder legal obligations. The local company is liable for legal obligations since the U.S. firm does not have a VAT number. If a company has a local office in Belgium and/or local customer putting the product on the Belgian market, the local office/customer is the one to register with Recupel. However, a foreign supplier may be mandated by a Belgian importer to fulfill its take-back obligations in Belgium. A form is available on the Recupel website.
Recupel contact information:
Recupel
A. Reyerslaan, 80
1030 Brussels
Free number from Belgium:
0800/40 387
Website: www.recupel.be
Bert.Dhooghe@agoria.be , Filip.Geerts@agoria.be
General information
Tel. 00 32 (0) 2 706 86 18
Fax. 00 32 (0) 2 706 86 13
E-mail: info@recupel.be
Affiliations
Tel. 00 32 (0) 2 706 86 18
Fax. 00 32 (0) 2 706 86 13
E-mail: info@recupel.be
Collection
Tel. 00 32 (0) 2 706 86 31
Fax. 00 32 (0) 2 706 86 24
E-mail: logistics@recupel.be
Financial information
Tel. 00 32 (0) 2 706 86 11
Fax. 00 32 (0) 2 706 86 80
E-mail: finance@recupel.be
RoHS Information:
Has Belgium passed the law yet?
Yes, on October 20, 2004. Well before the guidance document was published in May 2005.The Belgian law is aligned on the EU law definition, except for the definition of "put on the market". Any banned product on the shelf of a store after July 1st. 2006 even if sold by a u.s. firm beforehand is liable of fines. However there is heavy lobbying on this issue to change the law. The Belgian government is now planning to amend the law by September 2006, to allow products put on the market in another EU country before July 1, 2006 to be non-RoHS compliant.
What are the fines for breaking the law?
Considerable. Prison from 8 days to 3 years. Penalty fees approximately from 160 Euros to 4 Million Euros.
RoHS Enforcement Agency:
Enforcement: as of July 1st, 2006
Federal Ministry of Public Health and Environment
Contact: Mr. Denis Pohl
Conseiller Scientifique
DG Environnement
SPF Sante Publique, Securite de la Chaine Alimentaire et Environnement
Place Victor Horta 40, Bte 10
B-1060 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 524 95 51
Fax: +32 (0)2 524 96 01
URL: http://www.environment.fgov.be
Belgium RoHS legislation
Legislative Texts
French and Dutch versions of Belgian law implementing RoHS:
http://www.buyusa.gov/belgium/en/rohs_in_belgium_legislation_doc.pdf
English version: available from Agoria federation for their members only or against a fee. - For subscription to Agoria, contact: Bert.Dhooghe@agoria.be
For further information, please contact:
Isabelle Uyttenhove, Commercial Specialist
(Environmental Technologies)
email: isabelle.uyttenhove@mail.doc.gov
tel: +32 2 508 2450
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