The requirement for a visible fee showing the cost of taking back, treating and disposing of waste equipment must be displayed separately from the product price on the invoice.
The Czech Republic introduced a new law on waste products No. 542/2020 that took effect on the 1st January this year. One of the key measures of the new law is the requirement to show the “Visible Fee” for the cost of taking back, treating and disposing of waste equipment.
The visible fee has to be shown separately on the invoice from the product price and the fee can either be for per device or by unit weight. It is not permitted to have a general statement that the price paid and would not meet Czech legal requirements.
The Act applies to electrical and electronic equipment whether they are placed on the market as a finished produce, e.g., a printer, or as parts, accessories or consumables, like cartridges. The act is intended to make the costs of disposal more transparent as Czech take-back systems are required everyone the same price for the collection, treatment and disposal of electronic equipment.
The introduction of the requirement to show the visible fee separately on invoices and to report on the fees via VAT tax returns and annual reports should help distributors if they purchase equipment from manufacturers who have not paid the compulsory fees to a collective manufacturer system (PRO) and makes Free riders more easily recognisable.
Failure to comply with the new regulations the Czech Trade Inspection Authority may impose a fine of up to CZK 500,000 (€19.3 thousand / $23.3 thousand) on the manufacturer, distributor or retailer.
Article 14 of the EU Directive 2012/19/EU allows the use of visible fees, but in most member states it is a voluntary action. Yet in other member states, like Germany, it is prohibited.
