There is still no firm news on the implementing legislation for these two Directives. The WEEE Directive should be in effect from 13th August this year, but without the Regulations that is not going to happen. The best estimate at the moment is that the legislation will be in place for implementation of the Directive in January 2006. All we can advise for the time being is that Members who are "producers" under the Directive should start to gather together the data they will need for registration, i.e. the number of items and the weight of those items that they placed on the UK market in 2004 and 2005.
Registration costs are still not clear, but "producers" can expect to pay between £350 and £750 depending upon whether they register through a Compliance Scheme or as an individual company. What the ongoing costs will be is anyone's guess at the moment. We will do our best to keep you up to date.
The RoHS Directive is not due to become effective until 1st July 2006. Here, at least, the picture is a little clearer. Many but not all of the categories of electrical/electronic equipment covered by the WEEE Directive are also covered by the RoHS Directive and for some time the Federation has been seeking for a clear statement from Government in relation to weighing instruments. As Members may know, NWML has been chosen as the organisation to enforce the RoHS Directive and so the Federation took the opportunity to ask for their opinion on the scope of the Directive in respect of weighing instruments. Their reply was as follows:
"We have spoken with DTI and looked at carefully the applicability of RoHS regulations to weighing instruments. Our view is:
Scales and weighing machines used in a domestic environment (for example, kitchen and bathroom scales) are covered by the regulations and must comply
Stand alone weighing instruments or primary function weighing instruments/machines used for trade or Schedule 3 applications in a professional environment will normally be considered Category 9 and therefore exempt.
Medical weighing instruments are Category 8 and therefore exempt
Weighing instruments that are included in a larger system which has a primary function other than weighing that fits within another Category within the regulations (for example, an EPOS as IT and data control equipment) are included within the scope of the regulations and must comply."
If there is any change in this view, or further guidance from NWML we will let you know. | 
