Brussels, 18/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - The way is open for adoption of the new directive on recycling batteries and accumulators. The member state permanent representatives (Coreper) endorsed, on 14 June, the informal agreement negotiated in trialogue on changes to the 2006 European directive on the recycling of batteries and accumulators, in order to strengthen its provisions on the elimination of mercury and cadmium. The European Parliament did the same on 8 June (see EUROPE 10862). Directive 2006/66/EC already bans the sale of batteries and accumulators containing mercury and cadmium but exemption had been granted for batteries intended for cordless electrical appliances and button batteries containing low levels of mercury. The agreement between the Council and Parliament does away with this exemption as of 31 December 2016 in order to allow the recycling industry and consumers time to adjust to the new situation. It also clarifies the fact that it must be easy for end-users and for qualified professionals to remove batteries.
In order to be adopted, the text of the new directive has still to be formally approved by the plenary session of the Parliament (the vote is scheduled for September 2013) and by the Council of the EU. (AN/transl.jl)