WEEE
EU Directive for WEEE management and recycling
ISO 19600
International guidelines for compliance management systems.
Quick Verdict
WEEE mandates EU e-waste management for electronics producers via EPR and collection targets, while ISO 19600 provides voluntary CMS guidelines for all organizations. Companies adopt WEEE for legal compliance, ISO 19600 for governance and risk management.
WEEE
Directive 2012/19/EU (WEEE Directive)
Key Features
- Mandates Extended Producer Responsibility for EEE end-of-life
- Open scope covers all electrical equipment since 2018
- Sets 65% collection targets or 85% of generated WEEE
- Requires selective depollution and treatment standards
- Demands national registration and harmonized reporting
ISO 19600
ISO 19600:2014 Compliance management systems — Guidelines
Key Features
- Risk-based CMS with PDCA cycle
- Principles of good governance and proportionality
- Scalable for all organization sizes and sectors
- Integration with existing management systems
- Guidance for compliance obligations identification
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 legal framework establishing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for managing waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Its primary purpose is to prevent WEEE generation, promote reuse, recycling, and recovery while minimizing environmental and health risks. Scope covers all EEE placed on EU markets under an open scope since 2018, using a category-based system in Annex III and risk-based treatment standards.
Key Components
- EPR model: Producers finance/organize collection, treatment.
- Six open-scope categories; collection targets (65% average EEE placed on market or 85% generated).
- Selective treatment (Annex II depollution), storage rules (Annex III).
- National producer registration/reporting via harmonized formats.
- Compliance via collective PROs or individual schemes; no central certification but national enforcement.
Why Organizations Use It
Legal obligation for producers/importers to avoid penalties, market bans. Drives circular economy, critical raw material recovery, risk reduction from toxics. Enhances reputation, supply security; aligns with Green Deal, RoHS.
Implementation Overview
Phased approach: gap analysis, multi-country registration, POM reporting, PRO joining, reverse logistics setup. Applies to EEE producers across EU/EEA; high complexity for multinationals. Ongoing audits, data-driven compliance; no formal certification.
ISO 19600 Details
What It Is
ISO 19600:2014, titled Compliance management systems — Guidelines, is a Type B guidance standard from the International Organization for Standardization. It provides recommendations for establishing, implementing, evaluating, maintaining, and improving a Compliance Management System (CMS). The risk-based approach follows a PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle with Annex SL structure across 10 clauses.
Key Components
- Core principles: good governance, proportionality, transparency, sustainability.
- Main areas: context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement.
- No fixed controls; scalable guidance integrated with standards like ISO 9001, 14001.
- Non-certifiable; benchmarking tool, predecessor to ISO 37301.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mitigates legal, regulatory, reputational risks; reduces penalties and disruptions.
- Drives efficiency (10-20% cost savings), market access, culture of integrity.
- Enhances decision-making, stakeholder trust, competitive edge via structured CMS.
Implementation Overview
- **Phased roadmapleadership commitment, gap analysis, design, rollout, continuous improvement.
- Applicable to all sizes/sectors; no certification, internal audits suffice.
Key Differences
| Aspect | WEEE | ISO 19600 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | EEE waste management, collection, treatment, recycling | Compliance management systems, guidelines for CMS |
| Industry | Electronics producers, EU Member States | All organizations worldwide, any sector |
| Nature | Binding EU directive, mandatory transposition | Voluntary guidelines, non-certifiable |
| Testing | Treatment standards, collection rate verification | Internal audits, management reviews |
| Penalties | National fines, enforcement actions | No legal penalties, internal benefits only |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about WEEE and ISO 19600
WEEE FAQ
ISO 19600 FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...
The Human-AI Synergy: How Modern Compliance Tools Amplify Your Team's Strategic Impact
Unlock human-AI synergy with modern compliance tools. Automate monitoring, cut non-compliance risks 3x, and boost strategic decision-making. Elevate your team's
Decoding Tomorrow's Regulations: How Advanced Compliance Tools Predict and Prepare for Future Shifts
Advanced compliance tools use AI, analytics & real-time monitoring to predict regulatory shifts, cut non-compliance costs 3x, and ensure audit readiness. Stay p
Top 5 Reasons NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 Overlays Unlock AI Risk Management for Private Sector Enterprises in 2025
Top 5 reasons NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 AI overlays unlock risk management for private enterprises. Tailorable controls combat model poisoning & data leakage. CISO i
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
ISO 19600 vs NERC CIP
Compare ISO 19600 vs NERC CIP: Flexible CMS guidelines (ISO 19600) vs mandatory BES cybersecurity standards. Build resilient compliance—key differences, strategies inside. (152)
ISO 27701 vs SAMA CSF
ISO 27701 vs SAMA CSF: Compare global privacy PIMS extension to ISO 27001 with Saudi financial cyber framework. Align risks, maturity models—expert guide to compliance!
APRA CPS 234 vs Basel III
Compare APRA CPS 234 vs Basel III: Australia's cyber resilience standard meets global capital/liquidity rules. Unlock governance, risk & compliance insights for financial strength today.