Last checked: 13/09/2022

WEEE label

What is the WEEE label?

The symbol indicates that the product should not be discarded as unsorted waste but must be sent to separate collection facilities for recovery and recycling. The WEEE marking must appear on any electrical and electronic equipment placed on the EU market.

WEEE label

Is it mandatory?

With a few exceptions, most electrical and electronic equipment sold in the EU must bear a specific marking. WEEE labels are mandatory for the following product categories:

A detailed list of the appliances that fall under each product category is provided in the annex of the EU directiveOpen as an external link.

How do you affix the label?

Your electrical and electronic equipment must bear:

If your product has been placed on the market after 13 August 2005, you can either:

These inscriptions must be printed on the product itself and should be permanent, clearly visible and readable. The label could be printed on the packaging, the instructions or the warranty leaflet and not on the product itself only if the product's size is too small or if its function is affected by the marking.

What are the costs related to the WEEE label?

Registration and reporting to the national register are free. However, there are financial obligations related to waste responsibilities, which may vary from one EU country to another.

Waste responsibilities

In addition to registering and affixing the WEEE label, your obligations also extend to the end-of-life phase of your products.

Read more about the registration process and your waste responsibilities for electrical and electronic equipment.

See also

EU legislation

Need support from assistance services?

Get in touch with specialised assistance services

Do you have questions on operating a business cross-border, for example exporting or expanding to another EU country? If so, the Enterprise Europe Network can give you free advice.

You can also use the assistance service finder to find the right help for you.

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