ERP Germany calls for changes to the draft battery law revision

European Recycling Platform (ERP) in Germany has called on the German government to rework the planned revision of the country’s battery law. Although the current draft legislation is a step in the right direction, especially with regard to creating a level playing field between take-back schemes, more changes are necessary to avoid legal uncertainty and to ensure the stability of the overall system.

Among others, ERP Germany proposes the following changes:

• to introduce a mandatory burden sharing mechanism to account for over- and under-collection between take-back schemes,
• to include a separate collection target for lithium-based batteries or, alternatively, to introduce a mandatory burden sharing mechanism for these batteries,
• to establish a joint body for take-back schemes for carrying out joint tasks, and
• to oblige take-back schemes to set up provisions for future collection obligations and provide the appropriate guarantees.

With the planned amendment to the battery law, the German government is reacting to the enormous market changes over recent years. The aim is to maintain nationwide collection and high-quality treatment for waste portable batteries.

The draft legislation still needs to be approved by the Bundestag, the German federal parliament. A public hearing in the parliament’s environment committee is scheduled for 9^th September.

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