The EWRN (European WEEE Registers Network (www.ewrn.org) is an independent network of the National Registers in charge of overseeing the national implementation of the WEEE-Directive in the respective EU Member States.

As part of the public EWRN services, guidance documents are provided that help understanding the application of the WEEE regulation to specific product portfolios. Even though the WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU applies an open scope to all electrical and electronic equipment, some exemptions exist and thus some products - even though electrical or electronic - do not fall into the WEEE scope as electrical and electronic equpment.

The exemptions have to be applied both carefully and restrictive. In the past, the EWRN has already provided a helpful guidance document about the differentiation between equipment (in the WEEE scope) and components (out of WEEE scope). In July 2023, a new guidance document has now been published: "Equipment which is specifically designed and installed as part of another type of equipment"

Both documents are an essential help for both evaluation of the application of the WEEE Directive on specific product portfolios and also as a means for a justification of the conclusion of this evaluation.