1cc Webinar: PV Modules – 2 Years under WEEE – 1 Month under the ElektroG

The EU Member States had to transpose the revised WEEE Directive by February 14, 2014. As it happens so often, not all Member States did that in time. Now, 2 years later, all Member States have implemented the new requirements. Among them is the inclusion of photovoltaic modules into the producer collection and recycling obligations under WEEE. We want to take the opportunity and take a look at how Member States implemented this requirement with a focus on Germany and a few other bigger markets.

This webinar will be presented by Arne Campen, Senior Consultant at 1cc GmbH.

Title: PV Modules – 2 Years under WEEE – 1 Month under the ElektroG
Language: English
Date: Fri, Feb. 26, 2016, 10:00 AM CET
Speaker: Arne Campen, Senior Consultant at 1cc GmbH

Sign up: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6070045628248380930

PS: Participation in this 1cc Webinar is free. However, the number of participants in the webinar will be limited to 20 attendees.

France – New copyright levies on cloud services

There have been long-lasting discussions to collect copyright levies on cloud storage. Now there is a draft amendment to the Copyright Act substantiating exactly this matter in France. For the first time not only physical products like smartphones, hard disks or blank CDs would be imposed with a levy, but also online services.

To date, the scope of the products as well as the amount of the levy is determined by storage capacity and the actual usage. In practice, the usage appears to be shifting towards storing files remotely and not on the local hard drive, not to mention the copying on blank CDs. The more cloud services are used and the more files are stored online, the more questions about the suitability of the existing levy system arise. In France the future of private copying, i. e. the adaptation of this system is in discussion since years. Already in 2013, Pierre Lescure wrote a comprehensive report, commissioned by the French Ministry of Culture, and recommended to extend the levy system in the direction of online services («Contribution aux politiques culturelles à l’ère numérique»).

According to the Lescure-Report the existing scope should be extended to devices providing access to the internet in a first step. The storage capacity is not foregrounded anymore. Game consoles, for instance, have been taken into consideration and are now dutiable in many countries. Pursuant to this, the extension to online services seems to be the logical consequence.  This arises in the current draft legislation which has been presented to the French senate.

1cc Webinar: Supply Chain Communication – Challenges for Companies Regarding RoHS, REACH and Conflict Minerals

Companies from various industries and different positions in the supply chain must handle and comply with the growing number of regulations. Information and compliance documents for REACH, RoHS as well as for conflict minerals are required by legislator and between companies.

Which obligations apply and how can a company manage them when conducting due diligence?

Nadiia Kaiun, Consultant at 1cc GmbH, gives an overview of the requirements for communication along the supply chain and possibilities of their implementation in the context of due diligence.

Language: English
Date: Thu, Feb. 18, 2016, 4:00 PM CET
Speaker: Nadiia Kaiun, Consultant at 1cc GmbH
Sign up: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2376767378519044354

PS: Participation in this 1cc Webinar is free. However, the number of participants in the webinar will be limited to 20 attendees.

Register for copyright levy obligations in Germany

A new register for companies who have to pay copyright levies for mobile phones, computer and storage media will be established in Germany. Yet it is going to be even more powerful as only compliant companies are listed in a so-called “white list”. Vice versa, not mentioned companies are pilloried for not paying copyright levies (appropriately). The responsible collecting society ZPÜ will publish (here) all names and addresses of companies fulfilling their obligations.

For a long time collecting societies were accused for not covering the bulk of the market for recordable electronic products and storage media. Hence, many companies are not reporting sales figures and are not paying established tariffs. Apparently this is true.

However, according to the tariff agreement for mobile phones and tablets from December 2015, collecting societies can now assert their claims (by contract) comprehensively. The “white list” is accompanied by well-directed research, e. g. in the manufacturer register for take-back obligations of WEEE. Other EU Member States like France and Poland approach in a similar vein. In Switzerland there is even a so-called “black list” in the environmental sector.

We are happy to explain all regulation resulting from the new general agreements for copyright levies in Germany. Feel free to contact us: info@1cc-consulting.com

1cc at Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference

On 2 December 2015, the EU Commission published the updated version of its Circular Economy Package.

The Dutch EU Council Presidency holds the stakeholder conference “Unwrapping the Package – Towards a Circular Economy in Europe” on 25-26 January 2016 in Rotterdam to assess the impact of the Package, to discuss challenges and opportunities for the circular economy and to identify opportunities for circular economy initiatives and policy instruments across Europe.

The outcomes of the conference will be used to feed into discussions in the Council of Ministers on the Circular Economy Package.

Arne Campen, Senior Consultant at 1cc has been invited to join the round table discussions on 25 January. Amongst the participants are stakeholders from business, civil society and public authorities.

EU Commission publishes Action Plan for Circular Economy

The European Commission has recently published the long awaited second version of its Circular Economy Package. The first package had been published by the former Barroso Commission and had been withdrawn by the Juncker Commission shortly after taking office. However the Juncker Commission had promised to provide a new, more ambitious package by the end of 2015.

With the new Circular Economy Package, the Commission aims to increase the recycling and preparation for re-use of municipal waste in general as well as packaging waste, harmonise the calculation of collection and recycling targets throughout the Member States and reduce the landfilling of municipal waste.

For the first time, the Commission also aims to define minimum common requirements for extend producer responsibility schemes. Besides that, the package includes measures in the Ecodesign working plan for 2015-2017 to promote reparability, durability and recyclability of products, in addition to the already planned energy efficiency measures. Electrical and electronic products will be a major target for these actions.

A strategy on plastics and a report on critical raw materials shall follow in 2017.
Overall, the Commission targets to carry out all necessary actions for a regulatory framework for the development of a circular economy before 2020.

The full text of the Action Plan and the legislative proposals can be found on the Commission website: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/index_en.htm

Five New SVHCs added to REACH Candidate List

On 17 of December the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has added 5 new Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) to the REACH Candidate List. The Candidate List now contains 168 substances.
The 5 new entries refer to:

Nitrobenzene (EC No. 202-716-0), which has been added to the list due to its reproductive toxicity properties. The substance is used in the manufacturing process of other substances, e.g. as an intermediate for further chemical processing.

2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-(5-chlorobenzotriazol-2-yl)phenol (UV-327) (EC No. 223-383-8) and 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-(tert-butyl)-6-(sec-butyl)phenol (UV-350) (EC No. 253-037-1), which were added to the list because of their very persistent and very bioaccumulative properties. Both substances are used as UV-protection agents in coatings, plastics, rubber and cosmetics.

1,3-propanesultone (EC No. 214-317-9), which has been added to the list due to its carcinogenic properties. This SVHC substance is used as an electrolyte fluid of lithium ion batteries.

Perfluorononan-1-oic-acid and its sodium and ammonium salts (EC No. 206-801-3), which has been added to the list due to its persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic and reproductive toxicity properties. The substance is used as a: processing aid for fluoropolymer manufacture, lubricating oil additive, surfactant for fire extinguishers, cleaning agent, textile antifouling finishing agent, polishing surfactant, waterproofing agents and in liquid crystal display panels.

More information on http://echa.europa.eu/view-article/-/journal_content/title/five-new-substances-of-very-high-concern-added-to-the-candidate-list

Copyright Levies in Europe – 1cc Webinar with Bitkom

In cooperation with industry association Bitkom, 1cc GmbH is offering a webinar series with respect to copyright levies legislation. The series is open to everyone and it is to be continued until February 2016.

Wolfram Kühn, Senior Consultant at 1cc GmbH, will provide an insight into the multifaceted and complex matter of copyright levies in selected countries.

First Date: 14 December 2015
Time: 10:30 CET
Sign up at Bitkom Akademie: Copyright Levies in Europe – a broader view 

This first live online webinar series will be held in German. However, an English version of the presentation will be available in the near future.

Partially extreme high levies are claimed in most EU-Countries from manufacturers, importers and retailers for every computer, tablet, printer, hard disk, memory card and smartphone sold. The list of levied products is growing steadily. Obligations of manufacturers, importers and retailers are quite complex and different across countries. However, international companies have to be aware of their liabilities wherever they do business. They have to meet formal obligations, consider correct amount of levies within their pricing and adjust their marketing. Cross-border trade makes one thing compulsory: Information, preferably independently checked, comprehensive, up-to-date and reliable.

The live online webinar from BITKOM and 1cc is meant to discuss the following topics for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom:
– Legal requirements for liability
– Process to determine levies
– Concerned products, amount of levies, development of tariffs
– Liability for direct cross-border trade (distance selling)
– Current developments

1cc Webinars – The New German WEEE Legislation and its Counterparts in Other European Countries

The implementation of the EU WEEE Directive (2012/19/EU) is accomplished in most of the EU Member Countries. Germany’s transposition, the so called new ElektroG, has entered into force on October 24, 2015. The new ElektroG introduces some major changes to producers’ obligations. Furthermore, Stiftung ear has adapted the registration procedures to meet the new requirements. Globally acting companies producing or selling EEE across Europe face the challenge to understand the impact of the new legal requirements on their business in all their target markets.

Stefanie Enders, Legal Counsel at 1cc GmbH, will provide an insight into the main elements of the new ElektroG for German and foreign producers, and how these are put into practice across Europe.

Please below further details of these webinars:

Date: December 4, 2015
Time: 10:00 a.m. CET

Language: German
Sign up: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/609880779012798978

Date: December 9, 2015
Time: 5:30 p.m. CET

Language: English
Sign up: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/208169808087001602

Participation in these 1cc Webinars is free. However, the number of participants in each webinar will be limited to 20 attendees.

1cc Webinar – WEEE Legislation in the EU-Impact on Manufacturers and Distributors of 3D Printers

During the past 3 years, the 28 EU Member States have implemented the updates that came with the so called WEEE-Recast 2012/19/EU.

Being one of the last Member States to implement the EU-Directive into national Law, the new German ElektroG entered into force on October 24, 2015.

Katrin Schneikert, Senior Counsel at 1cc GmbH, will provide an insight into the main elements for producers and distributors of 3 D printers, and how these are put into practice across Europe.

Date: Tue, Dec 8, 2015
Time: 4:00 – 5:00 PM, CET

Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/7803224497175395842

PS: Participation in the 1cc Webinar is free. However, the number of participants in the webinar will be limited to 20 attendees.