Both EU battery manufacturers and importers are required to register.
The Official Journal of the European Union published European Commission resolution 2009/603/EC on 8 August 2009, specifying the registration requirements for battery and accumulator manufacturers. While resolution 2006/66/EC already stipulated that manufacturers of such products must register, the Commission considered it necessary to specify procedures applicable to the entire EU in order to avoid placing an unnecessary burden on manufacturers. Disclosure requirements should be clearly defined and should not overlap with other registration procedures that manufacturers may also be required to follow. According to the Battery Directive, a "manufacturer" is anyone in a Member State who, for the first time, professionally introduces a battery or accumulator (including batteries or accumulators installed in electrical appliances or automobiles) into the market of that Member State. Therefore, "manufacturer" also includes battery importers within each Member State. European Commission resolution 2009/603/EC lists the following key provisions:
· Registration should be made in paper or electronic form with the authorities of a Member State or an authorized registration body, and may be part of another registration procedure;
· Manufacturers only need to register once in the member country where they first offer batteries or accumulators in a professional form on the market;
· The resolution annex lists the information that must be disclosed, including:
o Manufacturer's name and address;
o The types of batteries and accumulators launched by manufacturers (portable, industrial, or automotive);
o Information explaining how manufacturers fulfill their responsibilities.
· Registration fees must be calculated based on costs and proportions;
· When a producer ceases to be a producer within a member country, its registration must be cancelled.
Therefore, when operators feel that the data disclosure requirements constitute an undue burden, overlap with other registration procedures, or that the registration fees are excessive or disproportionate, they should consider consulting the relevant competent authorities in the Member State.
The European Commission resolution 2009/603/EC establishing the registration requirements is available at:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:206:0013:0015:EN:PDF
Directive 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators is available at:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:2006L0066:20081205:EN:PDF
– Reference source: Hong Kong Trade Development Council website, 2009-09-07
