NALED, Gorenje & Coca Cola Help in Improvement of Procedures for Managing Electronic Waste
In Serbia, there are more than 11,000 producers and importers of products that become special waste after use, but only 49% submitted an annual report on quantities placed on the market during 2017 to the competent institutions. The report serves as the basis for determining and collecting fees for managing these products when they become waste, which mostly include large and small home appliances, IT equipment and other electronic goods.
Non-paying companies represent unfair competition for the responsible businesses, as the fees constitute more than 10% of the final price of the product, which puts citizens who buy from conscientious dealers into an unequal position. In addition, the budget of Serbia is left deprived of large funds that could be invested in improving the collection and recycling system.
"It is necessary to establish fair market conditions and ensure that the state secures a comprehensive fee collection. That is why NALED, Gorenje and Coca-Cola HBC Serbia, with the support of German Development Cooperation, launched the project ‘Towards better management of electronic waste’. The aim is to improve the electronic registry of manufacturers and importers and through the process of changes, we improve the system of charging fees, as well as the process of collecting waste in local governments," said NALED Managing Board member and CEO of Gorenje Beograd Stanka Pejanović after completing the working meeting of NALED members and partners with Minister of Environmental Protection Goran Trivan.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection supported the project, using this occasion to sign a Memorandum of Understanding. Minister Trivan pointed out that waste management is the first priority of the Ministry and that the project will bring together representatives of the state, economy, civil sector and academia, and learn from the experience of countries that are ahead of Serbia in this area.
"By signing the agreement, we want to regulate the system of charging fees. We are expecting the first results of the analysis to translate them into laws and practices. We need to ensure equal conditions and the opportunity to work well and employ workers, for everyone involved in business. It will no longer be possible to tolerate someone not paying the compensation," Trivan said.
The funds for the implementation of the project ‘Towards better management of electronic waste’ were provided by the German Development Cooperation and companies Gorenje and Coca-Cola. It is envisaged to improve the software for registering taxpayers and collecting fees, linking the relevant institutions - the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Customs Administration and inspections, long with improving procedures and raising awareness about the importance of collection and recycling of electrical waste.
Reforming the Environment Improvement Fee
During the working meeting, NALED members pointed out the need to change the environmental improvement fee in the process of adopting a law on fees for the use of public goods. Considering that the basis for calculating the amount of compensation is the real estate or income, rather than pollution emissions, NALED considers this a fee with a parafiscal character.