(Update as of September 4, 2009)

 

Status of Implementation of the WEEE Directive in Cyprus

The Government of Cyprus agency in charge of implementing the EU's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is the Environment Service, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the environment.  The local legislation dealing with this directive is Administrative Act # 668 of 2004 published (in Greek) in Official Gazette # 3888, Annex III (I), on July 30, 2004.  Click here  to see the full legislative document (only in Greek).

Administrative Act # 668 assigns responsibility for managing waste from electrical and electronic equipment on the producer and, locally, on the importer of first instance (as opposed to downstream retailers).  Producers and importers are required to comply either individually or collectively.  Failure to comply is defined as a criminal offense and draws extra-judicial penalties (i.e. to be determined following legal proceedings initiated by the state).  The government has introduced specific fines for offenders, starting off with out-of-court, on-the-spot fines of Cyprus Pounds (CP) 200 (about USD 420) for minor violations and ranging up to CP 20,000 (USD 42,000) and/or three years’ imprisonment for more severe cases.  The fine may reach a maximum of CP 2 million (USD 4.2 million) in exceptional cases involving severe environmental damage.  The above Act has been in effect since August 13, 2005 although full implementation is just now getting under way, with the establishment of the first collective implementation system.

Companies registered in Cyprus importing or retailing electrical and electronic equipment are required to register with the Environment Service (contact information appears below). 

Registration is completed once the Environment Service conducts an investigation and assessment of each individual company to determine compliance.  Foreign firms without some form of legal representation in Cyprus cannot register.  Instead, the foreign firm’s local agent, distributor, or representative must register.  When a company outside Cyprus sells business-to-business (B2B) equipment in Cyprus, the local company must register for WEEE purposes.  However, the situation is unclear when it comes to a foreign company selling directly to end customers in Cyprus, without any form of domestic legal representation, such as via the Internet.  The GOC is still considering ways of addressing this issue, in consultation with the European Commission.  For the time being, the following rule of thumb applies: when small quantities of products are involved, e.g. when a Cypriot consumer orders a PC via the Internet, then the consumer does not have to worry about registration.  However, when a Cypriot consumer orders larger quantities of products, with the intent of reselling or distributing them, then he will have to register.

 

For registration and additional information, please contact the Environment Service:

Ms. Meropi Samara-Milioti
Environment Officer
Environment Service
10-12 Gregory Afxentiou Street
Ayios Dometios
2360 Nicosia
CYPRUS
Tel: +357-22-303857
Fax: +357-22-774945
Email: mmilioti@N0SPAM.N0SPAM.environment.moa.gov.cy

Website: http://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/agriculture.nsf/environment_en/environment_en?OpenDocument

Concurrently, and following prevailing practice in other EU countries, a significant number of companies in Cyprus importing or retailing electrical and electronic equipment have already come together to form the first, non-profit, collective waste management called WEEE Electrocyclosis Cyprus Ltd .  As of August 2009, this entity had around 150 shareholders and registered members.  WEEE Electrocyclosis Cyprus, which is accredited by Cypriot authorities, has issued tenders for outsourcing waste collection and transportation services and is expected to commence operations in late 2009 (its website www.electrocycolosis.com.cy is also currently under construction).  Companies wishing to join WEEE Electrocyclosis Cyprus  Ltd. should contact:

Mr. Sakis Theodosiou

Commercial Manager

Green Dot (Cyprus) Public Co. Ltd.

41-49 Ayiou Nicolaou Str.

Nimeli Court

Block B, Suite B21, Engomi

2408 Nicosia

Mailing Address:

P.O.Box 25463, 1310 Nicosia

Tel.: +357-22- 586099, or 7000 0090

Fax: 22 464525

Email: s.theodosiou@N0SPAM.greendot.com.cy

Website: www.greendot.com.cy

 

For additional information, please contact:

George F. Demetriou
Economic Specialist
American Embassy
P.O.Box 24536
1385 Nicosia
CYPRUS
Tel: +357-22-393361
Fax: +357-22-393923
E-mail: DemetriouGF@N0SPAM.N0SPAM.state.gov

Website: http://www.americanembassy.org.cy