WEEE
EU Directive for waste electrical and electronic equipment management
Basel III
Global framework for bank capital, leverage, and liquidity standards.
Quick Verdict
WEEE mandates EU producers manage e-waste via EPR, collection, recycling for environmental protection. Basel III requires banks hold capital, liquidity buffers for financial stability. Organizations adopt WEEE for legal compliance, Basel III for prudential resilience.
WEEE
Directive 2012/19/EU on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Basel III
Basel III: Finalising post-crisis reforms
Key Features
- Strengthened CET1 capital minimum at 4.5% of RWA
- Non-risk-based leverage ratio backstop of 3%
- Liquidity Coverage Ratio for 30-day stress survival
- Net Stable Funding Ratio for one-year resilience
- Capital buffers with automatic distribution constraints
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
WEEE Details
What It Is
Directive 2012/19/EU (WEEE Directive) is a binding EU regulation establishing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Its primary purpose is minimizing e-waste impacts through prevention, reuse, recycling, and recovery, applying open-scope to all EEE since 2018 via six categories.
Key Components
- Producer registration, reporting, and financing in each Member State
- Collection targets: 65% of EEE placed on market or 85% generated
- Selective treatment (Annex II depollution), recovery/recycling thresholds
- Compliance via collective PROs or individual schemes; national enforcement
Why Organizations Use It
Mandated for producers placing EEE on EU markets, it ensures legal compliance, reduces environmental risks, recovers critical materials, and supports Green Deal goals. Benefits include supply chain resilience, cost recovery from materials, and enhanced reputation amid tightening enforcement.
Implementation Overview
Phased approach: gap analysis, multi-country registration, PRO joining, data systems for POM reporting, reverse logistics. Applies to manufacturers/importers/distributors EU-wide; requires ongoing audits, no central certification but national verification.
Basel III Details
What It Is
Basel III is the international prudential regulatory framework issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) post-global financial crisis. It strengthens bank resilience by enhancing capital quality and quantity, constraining leverage, and mandating liquidity buffers. Adopting a risk-based approach with complementary non-risk metrics for reduced model reliance and improved comparability.
Key Components
- **Pillar 1Minimum capital ratios (CET1 4.5%, Tier 1 6%, Total 8% RWA), leverage ratio (3%), LCR, NSFR, buffers (conservation 2.5%, countercyclical, G-SIB/D-SIB).
- **Pillar 2Supervisory review via ICAAP and stress testing.
- **Pillar 3Standardized disclosures for RWA comparability and market discipline. Built on three-pillar structure; compliance through national implementation, no central certification.
Why Organizations Use It
Mandatory for internationally active banks via domestic laws; mitigates systemic risk, ensures loss-absorbing capacity. Enhances stability, investor confidence, reduces funding costs. Strategic for balance-sheet optimization and competitive positioning.
Implementation Overview
Phased enterprise transformation: gap analysis, data architecture, model governance, reporting builds. Targets large banks globally; involves QIS, parallel runs, supervisory engagement. No formal certification, ongoing audits.
Key Differences
| Aspect | WEEE | Basel III |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | EEE waste management, collection, treatment, recycling | Bank capital, leverage, liquidity standards, risk management |
| Industry | Electronics producers, EU-wide, all organization sizes | Internationally active banks, global with national variations |
| Nature | Mandatory EU directive, national enforcement via EPR | Global prudential standards, implemented via national laws |
| Testing | POM reporting, collection rate audits, treatment verification | Stress testing, ICAAP, RWA model validation, disclosures |
| Penalties | National fines, market restrictions, enforcement actions | Fines, capital add-ons, business restrictions, supervisory actions |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about WEEE and Basel III
WEEE FAQ
Basel III FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

Top 5 Reasons TISAX Tabletop Exercises Prevent €10M+ Supply Chain Breaches for ADAS Tier 1 Suppliers in 2025
Unlock top 5 reasons TISAX tabletop exercises deliver 4:1 ROI preventing €10M+ supply chain breaches for ADAS Tier 1 suppliers. ENX case studies & VDA ISA contr

NIST CSF 2.0: Key Enhancements and How They Address Evolving Cyber Threats
Explore NIST CSF 2.0 updates: Govern function, supply chain security, SME playbooks for ransomware & AI threats. Boost your cyber defenses now!

Your Compliance Command Center: How Modern Tools Orchestrate Cross-Departmental Adherence
Unlock your compliance command center with modern tools for real-time monitoring, automation & integrations across IT, HR, Legal & Finance. Slash non-compliance
Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM
Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform
Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.
Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages
REACH vs ISO 28000
REACH vs ISO 28000: Compare EU chemical regulation (registration, SVHCs, restrictions) with supply chain security standards. Key differences, compliance tips & strategies for resilient operations.
ISO 22301 vs ISO 41001
ISO 22301 vs ISO 41001: BCMS resilience protects ops from disruptions (22301), FM optimizes facilities sustainably (41001). HLS-aligned for IMS. Boost continuity—compare now!
CAA vs SOX
Unlock CAA vs SOX: Compare Clean Air Act environmental rules with Sarbanes-Oxley financial compliance. Expert guide to key differences, pitfalls, and strategies for success.