Opponents of new ‘appliance waste’ law to sue Slovakia

Producers and importers of electrical appliances plan to file a lawsuit against Slovakia after its parliament adopted legislation that will add costs for the disposal of old electrical and electronic products as waste, the SITA newswire reported.

Producers and importers of electrical appliances plan to file a lawsuit against Slovakia after its parliament adopted legislation that will add costs for the disposal of old electrical and electronic products as waste, the SITA newswire reported.

The producers and importers say they plan to file two lawsuits with the European Court of Justice. In the first, they will contest whether the law is in compliance with the Treaty establishing the European Community regarding the free movement of goods and services within countries of the EU. The Slovak law does not permit companies to use recycling capacities outside Slovakia which they say are several times cheaper to liquidate old appliances. The second lawsuit is to be filed over recycling of batteries that the producers and importers say was tailored to introduce a monopoly by one processing entity.

Opponents of the bill also wrote a letter to President Ivan Gasparovic appealing to him to not sign the bill, SITA wrote.

The approved piece of legislation, however, has its supporters. The Slovak Association of Towns and Villages (ZMOS) said it welcomes the bill that got Parliament's approval before the summer break. ZMOS likes that the law would oblige importers and distributors of electrical appliances to care more about subsequent disposal of household electrical appliances.

Organizations and associations of producers and importers of electrical appliances say the amendment will oblige them to pay fees for future recycling to the Recycling Fund for the entire volume of imported and sold electrical appliances which they warn would increase prices of products.

The Slovak parliament approved the cabinet-tailored revision of the law on waste, introducing a duty for importers and producers of electrical appliances to pay a contribution to the non-state Recycling Fund (RF) for each product launched onto the market. The contribution is supposed to be used for renewal of facilities for recycling of electrical waste. At present, recycling fees are included in the prices of products and citizens pay them upon purchasing goods in ten commodities, including electrical appliances, while producers and sellers are in charge of recycling old electrical appliances. SITA

Compiled by Michaela Stanková from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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