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How can SMEs remain competitive amid changing regulations and growing global competition? At the upcoming VERE podium event on 9 September at the Mövenpick Hotel Hamburg, VERE members will engage directly with representatives responsible for regulation and market surveillance to discuss the challenges facing the industry and explore practical solutions. Our panellists are Dr Justine Karoline Hafner (Federal Ministry for the Environment), Christoph Petri (German Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Andreas Siegmund (Market Surveillance Hamburg), Alexander Goldberg (EAR Foundation), Dr Bettina Sunderdiek (Foundation Central Agency Packaging Register), Dr Benedikt Rohrßen (TaylorWessing), Stephan Tromp (HDE/IFS), Olaf Dechow (Otto Group), Eike Klein (Amazon) and Oliver Friedrichs (VERE/take-e-way). VERE members and take-e-way/trade-e-bility clients attend free of charge – register now to secure your place.

In principle, portable batteries integrated into products should be removable and replaceable by the end user. For safety reasons, however, some products are exempt from this requirement; in these cases, the batteries can instead be removed and replaced by independent specialists. An EU initiative is currently underway to clarify which products or product categories qualify for this exemption.

Will the obligation to appoint an authorised representative be temporarily suspended? The decisive EU Parliament reading is scheduled for 5 October 2026. VERE warns that it could create risks for its members and weaken enforcement efforts.

The European Union’s multi-million-euro fine against the international online marketplace could mark a turning point for market surveillance, product compliance and fair competition in the internal market, signalling a more rigorous enforcement of product safety requirements in the future.

A multi-billion-euro takeover is currently under close scrutiny by European authorities and raises significant questions about competition, market structure, and compliance with regulatory requirements.

WWF Germany is pushing for a new central regulatory body for packaging waste, calling for mandatory funding and stricter requirements for companies throughout the entire supply chain. In addition, they call for a new eco-modulation scheme to provide economic incentives for certain packaging designs only.

Hanka Mittelstädt, the Environment Minister for Brandenburg, is urging Germany to outlaw disposable vapes right away. Brandenburg presented the suggestion at the Leipzig Conference of Environment Ministers alongside North Rhine-Westphalia. Additionally, the Federal Environment Minister has declared that legislation prohibiting disposable vapes will be introduced. However, a crucial problem that could be missed in the current discussion is the possibility of a mandate to recall all vapes and e-cigarettes, which could take effect in a matter of days.

The German Federal Government Commissioner for SMEs, Gitta Connemann of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), may continue serving as Federal Chair of the German SME and Business Union. Under the law governing the legal status of parliamentary state secretaries, there is no conflict between her public office and her role within the organisation. The government further considers that no actual or perceived conflicts of interest arise in the exercise of her duties.

Small-scale producers and instrument makers are currently under scrutiny by the German Federal Environment Agency. Producers of electric musical instruments, such as guitars, may face fines reaching up to 100,000 euros. A current trend in practice shows why small suppliers in particular must now be especially vigilant. Find out now what part the upcoming amendment to the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) plays.

With the impending enactment of the proposed WEEE amendment, retailers and producers are likely to encounter much tougher collection targets and expanded take-back obligations. Additionally, new proposals also address product responsibility and establish guidelines for managing raw materials.