Increasing compliance requirements in times of protectionism and stagnant growth. Will this turn out well for European SMEs?
In our panel discussion, we will connect the topics of Extended Producer Responsibility and Product Responsibility with the current political and economic situation and examine the challenges for companies from different perspectives. Free of charge for VERE members!
The VERE Association actively represents the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises and is listed in the German Bundestag’s lobby register. Our primary aim is to promote business-friendly conditions and to influence political and regulatory developments. Through clear positions and well-founded statements, we are committed to cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and reducing the burden of excessive costs.
Small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular, are coming under increasing pressure as a result of complex regulations, rising levies and growing administrative requirements. The VERE Association therefore aims to initiate concrete changes that safeguard the competitiveness of SMEs and prevent threats to their existence. On this page, you will find our current stances on relevant economic and regulatory issues.
VERE is fundamentally committed to ensuring a well-functioning circular economy in the field of electrical and electronic equipment. The aim is to collect, reuse and implement recycling of end-of-life equipment to the highest possible standard, in order to conserve resources and reduce environmental impact.
The VERE Association supports the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility, but calls for the legal obligations for producers, importers and sellers to be structured in a way that is practical and economically viable.
A key concern is the consistent enforcement of existing rules against unregistered online retailers and foreign suppliers who evade contributing to the financing of take-back and disposal schemes.
VERE advocates for more effective monitoring and enforcement of existing laws, as a result of which businesses would not be placed under further burdens through additional reporting, documentation or registration requirements.
The association regularly emphasises the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises. New regulatory requirements should remain proportionate and, in VERE’s view, must not result in excessive costs or administrative hurdles.
VERE advocates uniform EU-wide standards in the field of environmental and circular economy law. Special national regulations or differing labeling obligations within Europe are viewed critically, as they hinder the EU single market.
The association construtively monitors and accompanies European initiatives such as the Green Deal, the Ecodesign Regulation and new battery regulations, whilst regularly highlighting potential additional burdens on businesses and practical implementation issues.
In addition to higher collection rates, VERE calls in particular for high-quality collection and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in order to recover raw materials more effectively and comply with environmental standards.
VERE is calling for stronger measures against illegal exports of waste electrical and electronic equipment and against improper disposal, as these undermine environmental targets and put reputable market participants at a disadvantage.
Overall, VERE advocates a stable, comprehensible and long-term predictable legal framework that combines environmental objectives with economic feasibility.
Waste management companies are increasingly falling victim to the improper disposal of high-performance batteries. This leads to fires at electrical recycling facilities and endangers the existing recycling infrastructure. #LithiumUnites, an initiative by VERE e.V., is providing a practical solution.
