Who produces your earphones?

Surprisingly, this may be you!

If you operate in an EU member state and your disposable earphone supplier is not in the same member state, then according to Directive 2012/19/EU you are the producer of the earphones.
Directive 2012/19/EU is the so called WEEE directive and stands for Waste Electric Electronic Equipment. You may never have heard of this, but it gives you certain obligations and non-compliance incurs fines of up to €100.000 in some EU member states. By the way, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein (EEA EFTA States), adhere to the same principles.

But I don’t manufacture anything!

No doubt you wonder how you could be the producer since they are probably made in China and have reached you through one or more import/export channels. This is all down to the, perhaps confusing, legal definition of “Producer” in this Directive which says under Article 3, par 1.f.iii :

(f) ‘producer’ means any natural or legal person who, irrespective of the selling technique used, including distance communication within the meaning of Directive 97/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 1997 on the protection of consumers in respect of distance contracts (1): …
(iii) is established in a Member State and places on the market of that Member State, on a professional basis, EEE from a third country or from another Member State; …

Now the good news!

MSupport International BV has registered as a producer for WEEE in many EU member states and can take over your obligations. Since our ear-and headphones are also fully CE compliant, in many EU member states we can offer our customers a trouble free supply. Please contact us on +31 481 454664 or info@bits4tours.com if you want more information on the WEEE Directive or our possibilities in your country.