The new Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act-Battery Act Fee Ordinance (ElektroGBattGGebV 2024) came into force at the turn of the year. As a result, numerous VERE members contacted us about rising fees, in particular the quarterly fee, and asked for VERE's support against fee increases.
According to its own information, the EAR Foundation has not increased fees indiscriminately and commented on this in a recent press release: "Fortunately, the fees for many services could be kept stable or even reduced, which leads to financial relief. One exception is the quarterly fee, which unfortunately had to be increased. This is due to the increase in ear foundation's overall communication budget and, in particular, the expansion of the important information campaign Plan E. This will be further intensified at the request of various stakeholders from the waste management industry, from the circle of manufacturers and, above all, due to demands from politicians."
VERE had already taken a critical stance on this in 2023 as part of a hearing of associations organised by the Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV). VERE found the BMUV's statement in the explanatory memorandum to the draft bill dated 1 September 2023, that the total burden of the fees is so low compared to the value added by companies, that a levy on consumer prices is negligible particularly annoying and out of touch with reality. There is no consideration whatsoever of the economic circumstances of micro-enterprises, which are already extremely hard hit by cost increases in other areas. VERE will continue to actively campaign against the increase in fees, especially the quarterly fee. More on this topic in the VERE Christmas Courier 2023.
VERE members interested in further background information can request the minutes of the VERE General Meeting 2023 at info@vereev.de.
