EucoLight Marks 10 Years of Engagement with Stakeholder Conference in Brussels
14–15 May 2025 | Advancing Sustainable Lighting & Recycling
EucoLight, the European association of lighting WEEE compliance schemes, successfully concluded its 10-Year anniversary Conference taking place on 14–15 May 2025 in Brussels.
This milestone event brought together over 65 industry leaders, policymakers, environmental organisations, and compliance experts to reflect on ten years of collaboration, share experiences from across Europe, and engage in discussions on the role of the lighting industry in the future of the circular economy in the context of an evolutive EU legislative landscape.
The conference opened with a speech on the highlights of EucoLights history and a look at incoming challenges by Secretary General Marc Guiraud followed by a speech from the lighting manufacturers who created EucoLight members Maurice Looschilder (Signify) and Andreas Adam (Ledvance).
Stephanie Mittelham, Manager Green transition at Orgalim delivered a presentation on their key recommendations for a competitive high-tech manufacturing base that can power Europe’s path to reach Net-Zero.
A highlight of the conference was the forward-looking session on the Circular Economy Act, where Guillemette Vachey, Policy Officer at European Commission DG Environment, outlined the context and objectives of upcoming legislative developments and a preview of the evaluation study on the WEEE directive.
Throughout the day speakers highlighted the need for greater harmonization of regulations, a more effective and concrete enforcement of existing rules, and the wish for more robust control mechanisms—particularly in relation to the issue of free riding via online sales platforms. Additionally, a shared intent emerged, particularly during the panel discussion, to reinforce cooperation among stakeholders aligned by common objectives, with the aim of amplifying their collective voice.
The first day concluded with a panel discussion hosted by Andreas Rindt from Signify and Board advisor at Eucolight; with panellists Paolo Falcioni from APPLIA, Elena Scaroni from Lighting Europe, and Jan Vlak from Stichting Open to discuss opportunities and topics where producer and collection/recycling companies in Europe can excel in managing the challenges in fast changing markets towards a truly circular economy.
Looking ahead: EucoLight’s vision for the future of the circular economy
The conference also presented EucoLight’s current vision for the future of the lighting recycling industry. At its core is a call for clearer and more harmonised definitions of lighting equipment under the WEEE Directive, as well as realistic and achievable collection targets that reflect product lifespans and waste availability. EucoLight urges stronger and fairer enforcement of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations to ensure all market actors—including those selling online—are subject to the same rules. Tackling free-riding and non-compliance in online sales remains a key concern, and EucoLight supports new responsibilities for marketplaces, including mandatory verification and disclosure of registration status.
EucoLight’s proposals also include greater alignment between EU legislative instruments to avoid contradictions, the implementation of a standardised system of WEEE registration numbers across Member States, and expanded obligations for Authorised Representatives to assume full legal and financial responsibility for the producers they represent. Ensuring early and secured financing of producer obligations and empowering national authorities to enforce the rules effectively round out the proposed measures.
“The way forward to make the circular economy a reality ought to reflect these proposals and be supported by a strong cooperation with producers and all actors involved” commented Secretary General, Marc Guiraud.
EucoLight elects its new Board of Directors
On the second day of the Conference the EucoLight General Assembly elected a new Board of Directors. Elected Board members were Gied van Hoorn (LightRec/OPEN) as Chairman of the association, Natalia Sierra Conde Saraiva de Carvalho (AMBILAMP) as Vice-Chairwoman, Tomáš Rychetský (Eoklamp s.r.o) as Treasurer and Andreas Adam (Ledvance) as representative of EucoLight affiliated member, LightingEurope.
Should you want to know more about EucoLight and its publications, please visit the EucoLight website.
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About EucoLight:
EucoLight is The European association of collection and recycling organisations for WEEE lamps and lighting. On behalf of its members, EucoLight engages with everything related to the WEEE Directive, legislations and standards affecting the collection and recycling of WEEE lighting. EucoLight is the voice of European WEEE compliance schemes specialised in managing the collection and recycling of WEEE lighting; working to make the circular economy a reality for lighting products. EucoLight has 17 PRO members: AMBILAMP (Spain); Appliances Recycling SA (Greece); Ecolamp (Italy); Ecosystem (France); Ekogaisma (Estonia); Ekolamp s.r.o. (Czech Republic); Ekolamp Slovakia (Slovakia); Electrão (Portugal); ElektroEko (Poland); Elretur (Denmark); FLIP (Finland); Lightcycle (Germany); LightRec (Netherlands); Recolamp (Romania); Recupel (Belgium); UFH (Austria), ZEOS (Slovenia) and one affiliate member, LightingEurope. Founded mid-2015, EucoLight has quickly embarked into constructive dialogue with relevant stakeholders to provide expertise in the field of management and treatment of WEEE lighting and to promote the positive role of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes on the environment and society.
For more information, visit the EucoLight website, follow EucoLight on Twitter and LinkedIn, or contact the Secretary General, Marc Guiraud (marc.guiraud@eucolight.org).
