Batteries, accumulators and electrical equipment in BDO - importer, manufacturer and retailer responsibilities

If you import or produce batteries, accumulators or electrical and electronic equipment, you are very often subject to entry in the BDO as an entity introductory these products on the national territory. Official BDO materials explicitly indicate that registration upon application is subject to, inter alia introducers of equipment or authorised representatives, as well as introducer of batteries or accumulators. The BDO survey separately conducts entrepreneurs who import or manufacture new or second-hand equipment, and those who import or produce batteries and accumulators, which shows that the obligation can extend to both the manufacturer and the importer importing the goods from abroad for first placing on the Polish market.

When an importer or manufacturer must have an entry in BDO

In practice, an entry in BDO is created when a company introduces for the first time on the territory of Poland batteries, accumulators or electrical and electronic equipment, regardless of whether it does so as a classic manufacturer, importer or importer in a commercial model. This is important because the obligation is not limited to a factory or a large distributor. If a trader imports equipment or batteries and then offers them on the domestic market, he falls within the scope of the activity that BDO captures in the register. At the same time, the application for entry itself is submitted electronically via the BDO registration form, and the registration number is assigned by the Marshal of the province after the entry has been made.

When does an online shop become an „introducer”

The mere fact of running an online shop does not yet automatically imply an obligation to register with BDO for batteries, accumulators or electrical equipment. The key point is, what role the shop plays. If e-commerce sells goods that have already been marketed by another entity, the retail itself does not yet necessarily imply an entry under this title. The situation is different if the online shop imports equipment or batteries itself, operates under its own brand, organises the first marketing of the product in Poland or operates under a private label model. Then, in practice, it becomes an introducer and should assess the obligation to register in exactly the same way as an importer or manufacturer. This is the conclusion of the official categories of activity indicated by BDO for import and production.

What fees and further obligations arise after entry

Once registered with BDO, the responsibilities do not end with mere registration. The official BDO website indicates that registration and annual fee are subject, inter alia, to producers of electrical and electronic equipment, authorised representatives and introducer of batteries or accumulators. The current rates are PLN 200 for micro-entrepreneurs and PLN 800 for other entrepreneurs, and an annual fee shall be paid until the end of February, while it is not paid in the year in which the registration fee was paid. In addition annual report on products, packaging and the management of waste arising from them, which consists of by 15 March for the previous calendar year. In the BDO system itself, these responsibilities are spelled out in, among other things. Chapter V for electrical and electronic equipment and in Chapter VI for batteries and accumulators, where tables are provided on the weight of products introduced, public education campaigns or the product fee payable.

Frequently asked questions

Doubt whether your company as an importer, manufacturer or online shop should be registered with BDO for batteries, accumulators or electrical equipment? Contact us Ekopro Group will help you assess your obligations, choose the right scope of entry, sort out fees and reporting and answer your BDO questions. Go to „Contact” and make use of our support.