| Product | Battery law | ElektroG (WEEE) |
|---|---|---|
| Plain power bank | Yes | No |
| Power bank with extra function | Yes | Yes |
| Appliance with built-in or supplied battery | Yes | Yes |
Two laws, kept apart
stiftung ear states that batteries and electrical devices fall under two separate regimes, so a producer may need both registrations. stiftung ear: Batterie oder Elektrogerät? Eine Anwendungshilfe
Decide whether what you sell is a "battery" or an "appliance with a battery"; that decides which registrations apply.
A plain power bank
A plain power bank, also with charge indicators and several charging ports, is classified as: battery law yes, ElektroG no. stiftung ear: Batterie oder Elektrogerät? Eine Anwendungshilfe
So no WEEE number is needed for this type; what to do is battery registration (representative, take-back organisation, brand and category) as in the BattDG guide.
A power bank with an extra function
Examples of extra functions: an integrated photovoltaic or solar module, wireless charger, AC connection, radio, lamp, cup warmer, alarm clock. Such a power bank needs both registrations. stiftung ear: Batterie oder Elektrogerät? Eine Anwendungshilfe
When unsure, take the product's final feature list and tick it against the examples. A single match means both registrations.
What do you do next?
- Battery registration: representative, OfH number, brand and battery category.
- WEEE registration: representative, brand and device type, financial security.
For online sales, listing the battery already counts as making it available, so register first. stiftung ear: Batterieregistrierung beantragen, FAQ
What this guide did not verify
Not verified here: the classification of a particular product under a stiftung ear device type or battery category, and combinations the table does not list.