At the request of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (Bundesumweltministerium - BMU), VERE e.V. hereby informs that the BMU, in coordination with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, has revoked the statement issued on 1 December 2009 to the effect that a joint take-back system for device batteries pursuant to Section 6 para. 1 and para. 3 of the German Batteries Act (BattG) had been established. The foundation joint battery return system (Gemeinsames Rücknahmesystem Batterien – GRS) in Hamburg, previously operating as a joint take-back system, will in future operate exclusively as a manufacturer’s own take-back system pursuant to Section 7 of the BattG.
This revocation has implications both for device battery producers and for market participants taking back device batteries. Owing to the absence of a common take-back system, the obligation to participate in such a system does not apply. Accordingly, under Section 6 para. 5 of the Batteries Act, manufacturers will in future be required to establish their own take-back systems under Section 7 of the Batteries Act or to participate in existing manufacturer-owned take-back systems. Moreover, due to the absence of a joint take-back system, in future take-back firms will no longer be obliged to tender or deliver any items to such a joint take-back system. They will therefore be able to choose freely between the manufacturers’ own take-back systems operating on the market. Each collection system must submit an offer for the free collection of device batteries. The collection of all device batteries is thus ensured.
