Chapter 27: transposition of legislation on batteries and accumulators and WBA

The Republic of Serbia is in the process of fully aligning its environmental legislation with the Union acquis. Policy and Legal Advice Centre (PLAC III) project has provided support to the Ministry of Environmental Protection in transposing the EU legislation on batteries, accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators (WBA).

In accordance with the EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy, Directive 2018/849, which amends Directive 2006/66/EC on batteries, accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators, was adopted in 2018. The Directive 2018/851 comes with new requirements that refer to collective schemes that are implementing extended producer responsibility. A new regulation on batteries was proposed in 2019 and it is still in the adoption procedure.

In Serbia, Directive 2006 on batteries has been partially transposed through the Law on Waste Management and the Rulebook on Manners and Procedures of Used Batteries and Accumulators Management.

PLAC III project experts presented improved EU legislation and recommendations for transposition into Serbian legislative system at a workshop held on 12 April 2021. Apart from the relevant EU legislation, project expert Ion Naie Musetoiu also presented examples of WBA management in various EU countries. EU Member States are obliged to collect at least 45% of used batteries, as well as to provide end users with a place to dispose used batteries. For accumulators, the rule is that everything that was placed on the market must be collected. All costs of collection, treatment, recycling and information campaigns are borne by the manufacturer. All battery manufacturers must be registered and a Member State must create a national registration body.

Expert Vladica Čudić presented an analysis of Serbia’s institutional capacity to manage this type of waste, as well as an overview of current legislation. Recommendations for full transposition include amendments to the current Rulebook and the Law on Waste Management: provisions should be introduced into the Rulebook obliging producers to a collection rate of at least 45% as well as to include batteries and accumulators in annual data on collection and sales. The proposal for amendments to the Law includes that the manufacturer must establish an appropriate collection scheme, while the local self-government unit is obliged to create a system for collecting batteries used in households. It is also recommended establishment of a registration body for all manufacturers of batteries and accumulators, as well as the introduction of financial incentives for the application of the hierarchy in waste management (including the extended producer responsibility scheme).

The online workshop was followed by representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Provincial Secretariat for Urbanism and Environmental Protection, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, NALED, and waste management operators.

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