Individual computers to quit selling hardware.
 

24.11.2005: E3B and individual Computers stop selling hardware

Both companies, who became famous for innovative and powerful
hardware expansions for classic Amiga computers, are forced to stop
selling hardware until further notice due to changes in German law.
No hardware is being shipped within the EU, neither to resellers, nor
to direct customers.

According to the national implementation of EU-directive 2002/96/EG
[1] into German law (Bundesgesetzblatt 2005 Teil I Nr. 17 [2]) every
vendor in Germany must be registered with the Stiftung EAR [3]. For
vendors from outside Germany, the importer must be registered, in
case the vendor himself is not registered in Germany. This law
applies to all electronic products that are mentioned in rule EAR
03-011 [4], no matter what country they come from - within or outside
the European union.

The new law aims at vendors and importers, who need to take
resposibility for the electronic devices if they are discarded at the
end of the product's life. Putting electronic devices into
circulation without being registered (indicated by a trashcan symbol)
is against German law since today, and can be penalized with a
monetary fine of up to 50.000,- EUR.

Due to the complicated implementation by German authorities, it's not
easy to estimate the consequences and the new obligations created by
this law. In addition to that, the extremely high administration
effort goes with high fees that must be paid to the Stiftung EAR -
especially smaller companies' existance is endangered by the fees
that are more than one hundred times higher than the recycling cost
itself. individual computers [5] and E3B [6], who have been
developing and producing in Germany for many years, are now
evaluating possibilities to comply with the strict rules in a close
cooperation, so customers all over Europe can continue to buy top
quality products from Germany. Both companies want to act responsible
and sustainable in this regard.

Many issues are not yet resolved, therefore both companies cannot
continue to deliver hardware to customers and resellers within the
European union. Customers outside the EU are not affected by this decision.

We're hoping to proceed with the necessary steps in a timely manner.
Unfortunately, the "Stiftung EAR" cannot cope with the bureaucracy
created by their own rules, so our registration number is not yet
assigned. We are of course interested in continuing to offer
innovative products, and will do everything to keep the shortage as
short as possible. We're asking for your indulgence for any inconveniences.

Links:

[1]:
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/...en00240038.pdf
[2]:
http://www.stiftung-ear.de/content/e...ektrog_ger.pdf
[3]: http://www.stiftung-ear.de/
[4]: http://www.stiftung-ear.de/e129/e145...eteart_ger.pdf
[5]: http://ami.ga
[6]: http://www.e3b.de/usb

How does this affect the Catwiesel controller ?

Well you can still get the CW from a UK supplier like Amigakit.. until they run out of stock I suppose! still..not good...
and they need to hurry up with these CW drivers too :(

Ok what does that mean regarding the warranty on stuff? I recently bought a catweasel mk4 from amigakit!

Rest assured, this does not affect warranties or support of the Catweasel MK4 in any way.

We have good stock levels of the Catweasel MK IV so I expect by the time that Individual get the license they need, we won't have run out of stock.


amigakit.com - the online Amiga store

It's a good thought to recycle hardware when they're 'consumed', but I do hope the EU is also considering 'not multinational corporation size' hardware manufacturers. Those will just get the certificate and do the bare minimum of the intent of the law anyway.

There's two ways that could prevent strangling medium- and small-sized companies as I see it; 1) either the PCB manufacturers offer fulfilling the certificate requirements for a smaller fee (they too might be out of work otherwise), or 2) the EU offers small companies to apply for exemption, those that don't reach the huge consumerism volume the big monsters of companies do.

Or make products in countries not yet in the EU :) That would be the 'big CEO' solution. Problem solved, conscience what is that? :D The problem is they're already making everything in low wage countries in Asia, so the law will only affect companies with low volumes, ie. have minimal effect. IQ in the EU would be nice.

Anyway, glad that Individual Computers et al solved, even if I'm an environmentalist, in this case I don't care how ;)

Perhaps also auto-move resuscitated archived News thread into an Old News subforum? :D

There would be no need if people would stop playing the

http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/lb...ecromancer.png

card :p

I had nearly a heart attack! until I spotted the date of the first post.... uffffff!!!!

Haha :) Apparently I didn't read the date for the last posts #$%^&*

I hang my head in shame (and in fluenza). I came here from this post to which apparently this very old thread is still the most relevant. ;)

Sorry for the scare... wonder what happened to the EU-directive, as I said it seems to have been Not A Problem :great