Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
E2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development
1.3. Contact name
Restricted from publication
1.4. Contact person function
Restricted from publication
1.5. Contact mail address
2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG
1.6. Contact email address
Restricted from publication
1.7. Contact phone number
Restricted from publication
1.8. Contact fax number
Restricted from publication
2.1. Metadata last certified
11 December 2020
2.2. Metadata last posted
10 October 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
10 October 2024
3.1. Data description
Data on Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is collected on the basis of Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The purpose of the collected data is to monitor compliance of countries with the quantitative targets for collection, preparing for re-use and recycling, and recovery of WEEE that are set out in Article 7 (collection rate) and Article 11 and Annex V (recovery targets).
Further information on the policy need of data on WEEE can be found on the following website of Directorate-General for Environment website.
3.2. Classification system
1. EEE covered by Directive 2012/19/EU (WEEE Directive)
Directive 2012/19/EU shall apply to electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) as follows:
(a) until the reference year 2018 to EEE falling within 10 product categories set out in Annex I:
Large household appliances.
Small household appliances.
IT and telecommunications equipment.
Consumer equipment and photovoltaic panels.
Lighting equipment.
Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools).
Toys, leisure and sports equipment.
Medical devices (with the exception of all implanted and infected products).
Monitoring and control instruments.
Automatic dispensers.
Annex II of Directive 2012/19/EU contains an indicative list of EEE falling under the categories in Annex I.
(b) from the reference year 2019 onwards all EEE shall be classified within 6 product categories set out in Annex III
1. Temperature exchange equipment
2. Screens, monitors, and equipment containing screens having a surface greater than 100 cm2
3. Lamps
4. Large equipment (any external dimension more than 50 cm) including, but not limited to:
Household appliances; IT and telecommunication equipment; consumer equipment; luminaires; equipment reproducing sound or images, musical equipment; electrical and electronic tools; toys, leisure and sports equipment; medical devices; monitoring and control instruments; automatic dispensers; equipment for the generation of electric currents. This category does not include equipment included in categories 1 to 3.
5. Small equipment (no external dimension more than 50 cm) including, but not limited to:
Household appliances; consumer equipment; luminaires; equipment reproducing sound or images, musical equipment; electrical and electronic tools; toys, leisure and sports equipment; medical devices; monitoring and control instruments; automatic dispensers; equipment for the generation of electric currents. This category does not include equipment included in categories 1 to 3 and 6.
6. Small IT and telecommunication equipment (no external dimension more than 50 cm)
Annex IV contains a non-exhaustive list of EEE which falls within the categories set out in Annex III.
2. EEE excluded by Directive 2012/19/EU
EEE listed in Article 2(3) are excluded from the scope of the WEEE Directive:
a) equipment which is necessary for the protection of the essential interests of the security of Member States, including arms, munitions and war material intended for specifically military purposes; b) equipment which is specifically designed and installed as part of another type of equipment that is excluded from or does not fall within the scope of this Directive, which can fulfil its function only if it is part of that equipment; c) filament bulbs.
In addition to EEE listed in Article 2(3) of Directive 2012/19/EU also the following EEE listed in Article 2(4) are excluded from the scope of the WEEE Directive starting from the reference year 2019 onwards :
a) equipment designed to be sent into space; b) large-scale stationary industrial tools; c) large-scale fixed installations, except any equipment which is not specifically designed and installed as part of those installations; d) means of transport for persons or goods, excluding electric two-wheel vehicles which are not type-approved; e) non-road mobile machinery made available exclusively for professional use; f) equipment specifically designed solely for the purposes of research and development that is only made available on a business-to-business basis; g) medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, where such devices are expected to be infective prior to end of life, and active implantable medical devices.
In addition pipe organs installed in churches are excluded (as set out in Annex IV (point 4))
3. Categories for each product category
(a) until the reference year 2018 the following applies:
Commission Decision 2005/369/EC of 3 May 2005 lays down rules for monitoring compliance of Member States and establishing data formats for the purposes of Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste electrical and electronic equipment. This decision is applicable until the reference year 2018 on the following categories:
EEE put on the market.
WEEE collection (from private households; other than from private households; total collected).
WEEE treatment (in the Member State; in another MS; outside the EC).
WEEE recovery.
WEEE reuse and recycling.
WEEE reused as whole appliances.
(b) from the reference year 2019 onwards the following applies:
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2193 of 17 December 2019 lays down rules for the calculation, verification and reporting of data and establishing data formats for the purposes of Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
This decision is applicable on the following categories:
EEE placed on the market (POM).
WEEE generated.
WEEE collected (from private households; from users other than private households; total).
WEEE collection rate (based on POM; based on WEEE generated).
WEEE preparing for re-use.
WEEE recycling.
WEEE preparing for re-use and recycling.
WEEE recovery.
WEEE treated (in the Member State; in another MS; outside the Union).
3.3. Coverage - sector
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) by waste management operations.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
1. Definitions
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and other key concepts for the purpose of monitoring the WEEE management are defined in Article 3 of Directive 2012/19/EU as follows:
Article 3(1)(a): ‘electrical and electronic equipment’ or ‘EEE’ means equipment which is dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields in order to work properly and equipment for the generation, transfer and measurement of such currents and fields and designed for use with a voltage rating not exceeding 1 000 volts for alternating current and 1 500 volts for direct current.
Article 3(1)(e): ‘waste electrical and electronic equipment’ or ‘WEEE’ means electrical or electronic equipment which is waste within the meaning of Article 3(1) of Directive 2008/98/EC, including all components, sub-assemblies and consumables which are part of the product at the time of discarding.
2. Statistical concepts
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/699 of 18 April 2017 is establishing a common methodology for the calculation of the weight of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) placed on the market of each Member State and a common methodology for the calculation of the quantity of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) generated by weight in each Member State.
As regards the calculation of the recovery targets, according to Article 11(2) of Directive 2012/19/EU, the achievement of the targets shall be calculated, for each category, by dividing the weight of the WEEE that enters the recovery or recycling/preparing for re-use facility, after proper treatment in accordance with Article 8(2) with regard to recovery or recycling, by the weight of all separately collected WEEE for each category, expressed as a percentage. Preliminary activities including sorting and storage prior to recovery shall not count towards the achievement of these targets.
3.5. Statistical unit
The statistical unit is the reporting company or institution. Statistical unit may vary across reporting countries. Reporting units might be: producers, importers, exporters, distributors, enterprises, local units, establishments or households, etc.
3.6. Statistical population
All WEEE collected and treated per year; EEE placed on the market per year.
3.7. Reference area
EU Member State and EEA/EFTA countries.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data on WEEE waste are published for the years since 2005.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable
1) Tonnes, 2) Kilogram per capita; based on the annual average of the population: Eurobase table ‘Demographic balance and crude rates’(demo_gind), demographic indicator: average population – total (code INDIC_DE equal to AVG), 3) Percentage of waste electrical and electronic equipment recovered and reused and recycled, 4) For the category ‘put on the market’ the number of equipment were reported until 2011 by one country (NL), 5) ‘Three-year average‘ unit is equivalent to the ‘collection rate calculated as percentage of the ‘put on the market’ amounts in the three preceding years
The reference period is the calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has replaced Directive 2002/96/EC.
Amending acts and secondary legislation:
Commission Decision 2005/369/EC of 3 May 2005 laying down rules for monitoring compliance of Member States and establishing data formats for the purposes of Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste electrical and electronic equipment.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/699 of 18 April 2017 establishing a common methodology for the calculation of the weight of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) placed on the market of each Member State and a common methodology for the calculation of the quantity of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) generated by weight in each Member State.
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2193 of 17 December 2019 laying down rules for the calculation, verification and reporting of data and establishing data formats for the purposes of Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
There is no data sharing with other international organizations; international organizations can use the data as published in the dissemination database.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Regulation (EC) No 233/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Not applicable, there are no confidential data in this dataset.
8.1. Release calendar
There is no release calendar, data dissemination is explained in item 9 below.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable
8.3. Release policy - user access
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.
Data received by 30 of June, 18 months after the end of the reference period (T+18; where T = reference year), will be published two months later T+20). An update of the dataset is done in November (T+23) and March of the following year (T+27).
From the reference year 2019onwards the reporting of data is implemented by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2193. According to Article 2(7) of the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2193 Member States shall submit a quality check report using the format set out in Annex III of this Decision.
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2193 in its Article 1 also sets out the Rules for the calculation of the minimum recovery targets referred to in Article 11(1) of Directive 2012/19/EU.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/699 of 18 April 2017 establishes a common methodology for the calculation of the weight of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) placed on the market of each Member State and a common methodology for the calculation of the quantity of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) generated by weight in each Member State.
until reference year 2018 according to the Commission Decision 2005/369/EC;
from the reference year 2019 onwards according to the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2193.
11.1. Quality assurance
The original data collection is made by the Member States, while Eurostat collects and checks the assembled country compilations. The quality assurance and documentation of the quality is a joint responsibility of Eurostat and the Member States.
Certain data format checks are carried out during the data entry into the webform. The validation routines at Eurostat include checks related to consistency, plausibility, development over time and observations are discussed with the countries.
A validation report is submitted each year to the European Commission DG Environment, as the responsible body for the monitoring of the implementation of the WEEE Directive.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Overall data are of good quality. Data are collected from reliable sources applying high standards with regard to the methodology and ensuring a high degree of comparability.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Main users are: the European Commission (for purposes of monitoring waste legislation), the Council, the European Parliament, researchers, politicians, general public, etc.
Data is collected for the monitoring of the WEEE collection rate, WEEE recycling and recovery targets set by the Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 04 July 2012 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
More information on the policy context can be found in this website.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No systematic user satisfaction survey has been conducted. User satisfaction is discussed with the main user from the European Commission.
12.3. Completeness
Reporting is mandatory and the data sets have a high level of completeness.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Reporting countries submit, together with the completed tables, an appropriate description of how the data have been compiled. That description shall also give an explanation of any estimates used.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Data have to be submitted 18 months after the reference period (T+18). The delay between the reference period and the data publication is about 20 months (T+20).
14.2. Punctuality
Data have to be submitted 18 months after the reference period. Most countries do respect this deadline, some countries deliver with a small delay. In a few cases the delay is more than 6 months.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The comparability across countries is good due to clear statistical concepts and definitions.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Reporting is mandatory, comparability over time is fairly high as of reference year 2006.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not available
15.4. Coherence - internal
Internal coherence is ensured by Eurostat thus aggregates are coherent with sub-aggregates.
Every year Eurostat publishes the complete time series, which may lead to revisions of data previously published. Data are revised once in between annual releases.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Every year the questionnaire requests data for a given reference year. If data are revised by countries, it is done for the reference year.
Reported errors are assessed for seriousness to determine whether they should trigger a correction of already disseminated data. Reported errors may be corrected in the disseminated data but are usually revised once in between annual releases.
18.1. Source data
Competent authorities, like Ministries of Environment or Environmental Protection Agencies and/or national statistical institutes collect data from various sources:
• Producers, exporter/importer businesses. • Administrative sources such as municipalities or other local authorities (provinces, regions, etc.), waste collectors at municipal/local level, waste treatment facilities
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual
18.3. Data collection
Data collection is done by reporting countries, either the Ministry of Environment, or Environment Agency collect the data and provide the methodology report on WEEE. Data (in a webform) is submitted to Eurostat via Edamis.
18.4. Data validation
Data validation is done by Eurostat in close cooperation with Member States' competent Authorities. Certain data format checks are carried out during the data entry into the webform. The validation routines at Eurostat include checks related to consistency, plausibility, development over time and clarification requests are sent to countries in case of observations. Methodology reports from Member States are consulted during the validation process. In case of revision of data the Member State transmit a new web-form.
18.5. Data compilation
The European aggregates are calculated by adding up the national waste amounts. EU aggregates are compiled when the available countries represent 60% of the population and 55% of the number of countries defining the aggregate; data for missing countries are estimated based on the previous year.
Eurostat calculates the collection rate based on the total weight of WEEE collected in a given year in the Member State concerned, expressed as a percentage of the average weight of EEE placed on the market in the three preceding years in that Member State. In Eurostat's Dissemination Database the calculation rate is displayed under the code “AVG_3Y” and label “Three-year average”.
The average population for the calculation of kg per person is taken from the table "Demographic balance and crude rates" (demo_gind, indic_de=AVG) in Eurobase.
Data on Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is collected on the basis of Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The purpose of the collected data is to monitor compliance of countries with the quantitative targets for collection, preparing for re-use and recycling, and recovery of WEEE that are set out in Article 7 (collection rate) and Article 11 and Annex V (recovery targets).
Further information on the policy need of data on WEEE can be found on the following website of Directorate-General for Environment website.
10 October 2024
1. Definitions
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and other key concepts for the purpose of monitoring the WEEE management are defined in Article 3 of Directive 2012/19/EU as follows:
Article 3(1)(a): ‘electrical and electronic equipment’ or ‘EEE’ means equipment which is dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields in order to work properly and equipment for the generation, transfer and measurement of such currents and fields and designed for use with a voltage rating not exceeding 1 000 volts for alternating current and 1 500 volts for direct current.
Article 3(1)(e): ‘waste electrical and electronic equipment’ or ‘WEEE’ means electrical or electronic equipment which is waste within the meaning of Article 3(1) of Directive 2008/98/EC, including all components, sub-assemblies and consumables which are part of the product at the time of discarding.
2. Statistical concepts
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/699 of 18 April 2017 is establishing a common methodology for the calculation of the weight of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) placed on the market of each Member State and a common methodology for the calculation of the quantity of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) generated by weight in each Member State.
As regards the calculation of the recovery targets, according to Article 11(2) of Directive 2012/19/EU, the achievement of the targets shall be calculated, for each category, by dividing the weight of the WEEE that enters the recovery or recycling/preparing for re-use facility, after proper treatment in accordance with Article 8(2) with regard to recovery or recycling, by the weight of all separately collected WEEE for each category, expressed as a percentage. Preliminary activities including sorting and storage prior to recovery shall not count towards the achievement of these targets.
The statistical unit is the reporting company or institution. Statistical unit may vary across reporting countries. Reporting units might be: producers, importers, exporters, distributors, enterprises, local units, establishments or households, etc.
All WEEE collected and treated per year; EEE placed on the market per year.
EU Member State and EEA/EFTA countries.
The reference period is the calendar year.
Reporting countries submit, together with the completed tables, an appropriate description of how the data have been compiled. That description shall also give an explanation of any estimates used.
1) Tonnes, 2) Kilogram per capita; based on the annual average of the population: Eurobase table ‘Demographic balance and crude rates’(demo_gind), demographic indicator: average population – total (code INDIC_DE equal to AVG), 3) Percentage of waste electrical and electronic equipment recovered and reused and recycled, 4) For the category ‘put on the market’ the number of equipment were reported until 2011 by one country (NL), 5) ‘Three-year average‘ unit is equivalent to the ‘collection rate calculated as percentage of the ‘put on the market’ amounts in the three preceding years
The European aggregates are calculated by adding up the national waste amounts. EU aggregates are compiled when the available countries represent 60% of the population and 55% of the number of countries defining the aggregate; data for missing countries are estimated based on the previous year.
Eurostat calculates the collection rate based on the total weight of WEEE collected in a given year in the Member State concerned, expressed as a percentage of the average weight of EEE placed on the market in the three preceding years in that Member State. In Eurostat's Dissemination Database the calculation rate is displayed under the code “AVG_3Y” and label “Three-year average”.
The average population for the calculation of kg per person is taken from the table "Demographic balance and crude rates" (demo_gind, indic_de=AVG) in Eurobase.
Competent authorities, like Ministries of Environment or Environmental Protection Agencies and/or national statistical institutes collect data from various sources:
• Producers, exporter/importer businesses. • Administrative sources such as municipalities or other local authorities (provinces, regions, etc.), waste collectors at municipal/local level, waste treatment facilities
Data received by 30 of June, 18 months after the end of the reference period (T+18; where T = reference year), will be published two months later T+20). An update of the dataset is done in November (T+23) and March of the following year (T+27).
Data have to be submitted 18 months after the reference period (T+18). The delay between the reference period and the data publication is about 20 months (T+20).
The comparability across countries is good due to clear statistical concepts and definitions.
Reporting is mandatory, comparability over time is fairly high as of reference year 2006.
