trade-e-bility News Archive

04/06/2020

Requirements relating to Breathing Masks from Manufactories (“community masks”)

The provision of breathing masks from manufactories (“community masks”) is possible if certain rules are followed. The decisive factor is the correct labelling of the masks, which must be clearly distinguishable from medical products or personal protective equipment. Affected manufacturers and importers of breathing masks that do not comply with the Medical Products Act must observe the requirements of the Product Safety Act.

04/06/2020

German Packaging Act: Effects of the Corona Pandemic on the Declaration of Completeness by 15 May 2020

The obligation to submit a declaration of completeness only applies if the volume of packaging placed on the market that is subject to the system participation obligation reached one of the three following quantity thresholds in the previous calendar year: 80,000 kg of glass; 50,000 kg of paper, cardboard, carton; 30,000 kg of ferrous metals, aluminium, plastics, beverage cartons, other composites. The 15 May 2020 target date refers to the statutory deadline over which the German Central Packaging Register has no influence.

04/06/2020

Automotive and Industrial Batteries: Documentation of the Performance Review for 2019 to be submitted to the German Federal Environment Agency by 30 April 2020

According to the provisions of Section 15 of the German Battery Act, distributors of automotive and industrial batteries are obliged to submit an annual documentation of their performance review (collection, take-back and recycling) to the German Federal Environment Agency. The performance review must be submitted to the Federal Environment Agency by 30 April 2020.

04/01/2020

Corona crisis: Simplification measures for placing disinfectants on the German market

Between 4 March and 26 March 2020, as many as three general decrees of BAUA (Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) were added, which now grants special approvals for certain hand disinfection formulations. These can now be produced industrially also for normal consumers, without any supply restrictions. Recommendation: In order to avoid supply bottlenecks for the manufacturers listed under the Biocides Ordinance, the current BAUA general decree should be used.

04/01/2020

WEEE Germany/ElektroG: Corona impacts on the annual statistical notification

On account of the current corona pandemic, the EAR Foundation, in coordination with the German Federal Environment Agency, has decided to give all parties obliged to notify the opportunity to submit their annual statistics notification for 2019 on the EAR portal by 31 May 2020. Notifications submitted after 30 April 2020 – which are actually late – will therefore not be forwarded (in coordination with) the Federal Environment Agency as the authority responsible for the prosecution of administrative offences.

04/01/2020

Consumer products: Stricter rules for use of pthalates as of 7 July 2020

Please ensure that your suppliers have already checked the products for substances in the prohibited list according to Annex XVII of REACh. Moreover, we recommend that you arrange for your suppliers to sign a declaration of chemical harmlessness. Also ensure for production that none of the phthalates mentioned can “creep in” unnoticed.

03/25/2020

Corona crisis: Simplified conformity procedure for breathing masks

The EU has simplified the procedure for supplying the EU market with a recommendation to notified bodies for respiratory masks. Respiratory masks are considered personal protective equipment of category III and are subject to mandatory certification. The certification procedure is now faster and more cost-effective. The company trade-e-bility GmbH provides assistance with the preparation of the documents, the marking of the masks and the issuance of the necessary EU conformity declaration.

03/25/2020

Notice: As of Q2/2020, public authorities and unfair practices watchdogs are expected to have access to the public section of the EPREL database for products of relevance to energy consumption and lamps

For the second quarter of 2020, access is expected to be possible for end consumers to the public section of EPREL. The market supervisory authorities will then be able at the very latest to have access to the non-public section of the database. Initial test access instances have been made. “Private” market supervisors such as unfair practices watchdogs can check in the simplest manner, namely as final consumers, whether a product can at least be found in the public section. So please make sure that all your energy-related products are correctly and comprehensively registered.

03/25/2020

Focus remains on formaldehyde in consumer products: Take action now!

Regulations on the emission of formaldehyde in consumer products remain in a state of flux. Please be sure to pay attention to the materials used also for electrical products and make sure that your suppliers already have products that meet the requirements or prepare them for stricter rules to be introduced.

03/23/2020

Packaging Register publishes case reports on own investigations

In addition to ongoing information provided by the German Central Packaging Register to the state enforcement authorities, a further instrument is now being introduced to deal with behaviour infringing administrative regulations: With immediate effect, the ZSVR will also publish case reports. These reports are used to present cases transparently that constitute violations of the German Packaging Act. The take-e-way team will be pleased to assist you if you are concerned that you may not be correctly registered (or not at all) with your packaging.

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