Update as of August 18th, 2008
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. On-line registration is available (but
only in Greek) through the Environment Service website:
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 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.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 2008, this entity had 24 Shareholders and 91 registered
Members. WEEE Electrocyclosis Cyprus, which is accredited
by Cypriot authorities, has already issued tenders (due by
October 31, 2008) for outsourcing waste collection and
transportation services. This organization is expected to
commence operations in early 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- 464599, or 7000 0090
Fax: 22 464525
Email: s.theodosiou@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.state.gov
Website: http://www.americanembassy.org.cy
Links to web sites outside the U.S. Government or the
use of trade, firm, or corporation names within U.S. Commercial
Service web sites are for the convenience of the user. Such links
and use do not constitute an express or implied official
endorsement or approval by the United States Department of
Commerce of any private sector web site, or of the products or
services of specifically identified companies or
entities.