Regulations if you are exporting abroad

If you export appliances, lamps, bike batteries, and/or batteries, it is important to be aware of various regulations. These differ for unused and used products. We have outlined two regulations for you.

An export refund scheme for unused products

Through the export refund scheme, you can request a refund of the waste management contribution from us if you meet these two conditions:

1. You purchase unused appliances, lamps, and/or batteries and accumulators from a Dutch manufacturer, importer, or dealer who is registered with Stichting OPEN.
2. You export the unused products abroad.

Note: for the export refund scheme, you must export to a country where similar waste processing regulations apply as in the Netherlands.

How does the export refund scheme work?

Companies that are registered with us have reported the products to us and paid the waste management contribution. This contribution may already be factored into the cost price. If your company exports those products (unused) abroad, they are unlikely to be processed in the Netherlands. According to the Export Refund Regulation EEA, you can request a refund of the waste management contribution. A similar procedure has been established for batteries and accumulators.

How do you apply for export refund?

To qualify for an export refund, contact the Producer Services department (via producenten@stichting-open.org). Once you have received approval for the export refund agreement, you will submit a semi-annual report and send a declaration from the management. In this declaration, you will specify the following two points: 1) from which manufacturer or importer you bought the appliances/batteries, and 2) to which countries they were exported.

Does the export refund exceed €50,000 annually?

If the export refund exceeds €50,000 on an annual basis, you must also submit an auditor’s report according to the control protocol to receive the refund. The exact conditions for the export refund can be found in the Export Refund Regulation EEA. The export refund scheme also applies to batteries.

Export for reuse of appliances

If you export used appliances abroad, you must report this in accordance with Dutch legislation. This can be done at the National (W)EEE Register (NWR) or with Stichting OPEN. Reporting with us offers you several advantages:

• You receive an administrative fee, as you help make the chain flows more transparent.
• You report in the same portal where you also report the products and/or batteries produced or imported.
• All quantities are directly reported to the NWR.
• We are readily available to answer any questions and support you as needed.

Export for processing of appliances

If you export electrical waste abroad for processing, under Dutch legislation, you are the notifier (the party requesting the export permit) and/or the exporter/producer (the party from which the waste originated/the physical holder of the waste). As the notifier or exporter/producer, you are the last party in the Netherlands responsible for the waste, and the following obligations apply to you:

1. You must ensure that the waste is processed abroad in an appropriate and high-quality manner, in line with the Dutch national waste management plan.
2. You must report the quantities of electrical waste you export annually to the National (W)EEE Register.

If you also report monthly to Stichting OPEN, we can assist you with this, and you will receive an administrative fee of €5 per ton. You help us by providing earlier insight into the quantities being processed abroad!