Overview

Amazon sellers who list any electrical or electronic items on the German marketplace are facing an imminent compliance deadline for the country’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) rules. The registration process with the German EAR foundation can take more than ten weeks, and Amazon is required by law to deactivate any listing that lacks a valid WEEE registration once the deadline passes. Sellers who have not yet begun the registration must act now to avoid losing visibility and sales on Amazon.de.

Key Points

• Mandatory registration — Every seller offering electrical or electronic goods to German consumers must be registered with the EAR foundation before the enforcement date.
• Listing removal — Amazon will automatically suspend any product page that does not show a valid WEEE registration number after the deadline.
• Long processing time — The EAR foundation typically needs over ten weeks to approve a registration, leaving little margin for sellers who start late.
• Broad product scope — Items as small as phone chargers, headphones, LED strips, battery‑powered toys, and even individual electronic components fall under the WEEE definition.
• Packaging obligations — In addition to product registration, sellers must also comply with the German Packaging Act, which requires separate registration of the packaging used for shipments to Germany.

What's Changing

1. Enforced WEEE registration — Amazon will now verify each German listing for a valid WEEE registration number (WEEE‑Reg‑Nr.). For example, a seller of Bluetooth headphones must display the number on the product detail page; otherwise, the listing will be taken down.
2. Automatic suspension of non‑compliant listings — Once the deadline arrives, Amazon’s system will flag and deactivate any page lacking the required registration. A seller of LED desk lamps who has not submitted a registration will see the entire listing disappear from Amazon.de.
3. Extended processing timeline — The EAR foundation’s onboarding workflow can exceed ten weeks, meaning a seller who begins registration today may still be waiting for approval when the deadline hits. For instance, a vendor of portable power banks who submits an incomplete application could face a delay of several additional weeks.