Turkey WEEE - just like in the EU?
Open scope applies from the 1st January 2024.
On the 26th December 2022, the Turkish legislator has published a new regulation upon the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This legislation amends the regulatory framework from May 2012 and aims at harmonizing with the rules that are stipulated in the European Union (EU) (see Article 28 of the Regulation).
Following the logic of the previous WEEE-Directive 2002/96/EC, Turkey categorizes electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) into ten WEEE categories until the 1st January 2024. Following that date, an open scope will apply and EEE will then be categorized in the same categories that are used within the EU.
In this context, producers have obligations to register and report already today (see Article 4 hh) Those obligations are comparable to the rules in the EU. Distance sellers have to nominate an Authorized Representative. The participation in collective systems is mandatory, just as well as the financing of the recycling that those schemes undertake. Sales volume reports have to be communicated to both schemes and the authorities (GEKAP reports).
The collective schemes are allocated to specific categories. None of the schemes cover all categories. The reporting criteria deviate from the European definitions, particularly regarding the determination of the EEE weight (see EU Regulation (EU) 2017/699 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32017R0699&from=EN
In contrary to a common praxis within the EU, batteries that are incorporated within EEE do not need to be reported separately to a batteries scheme.
Additionally, the definition of the WEEE categories that the collective schemes use, appear to differ from the ones that are used for both registration and reporting (e.g. category 4 includes the IT equipment and category 6 small household appliances). This may complicate the data management for registration and reporting on the producer side.
The basic principles of the new Turkish WEEE regulation has similarities with the EU legislation. This simplifies its comprehension for a user from the EU. The transposition into the practical national processes follow, however, local rules. Also in this respect, the Turkish regulations blend into the European WEEE legislation landscape.
The text of the new regulation can be found here:
https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2022/12/20221226-1.htm
