WEEE Forum

What WEEE Forum does

The WEEE Forum a.i.s.b.l. is a Brussels-based not-for-profit international association founded in April 2002 that serves as the world's largest multi-national centre of competence for the operational management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). It represents 50 producer responsibility organisations (PROs) across 33 countries and six continents, two-thirds of which are market leaders in their respective territories; member PROs have cumulatively collected, de-polluted, recycled, or prepared for re-use 45 million tonnes of WEEE since the Forum's founding.

The Forum's product portfolio is a suite of operational software platforms, knowledge bases, and harmonised standards rather than commercial technology. Core tools include the WF-RepTool (a WEEELABEX/CENELEC 50625-aligned database for calculating recycling and recovery rates, depollution results, and chain-of-custody flowcharts), the Key Figures members-only benchmarking portal, the Urban Mine Platform (projections on secondary and critical raw material availability to 2050), the I4R (Information for Recyclers) platform co-built with DIGITALEUROPE and APPLiA, LibraWEEE, the WEEE Directory, the CO2-eq Calculation Tool validated by PRé Sustainability, and the Collection Platform. The Forum also designs and maintains the WEEELABEX standards (now EN 50625 at CENELEC), runs International E-Waste Day annually (founded 2018), operates the Batteries Roundtable, and delivers training through the WEEE Forum Academy. It has participated in 14 EU-funded projects and is registered in the EU Transparency Register (ID 702397445-73).

The business model is membership-driven: each member PRO pays an annual fee set by the General Assembly on Board proposal, supplemented by EU project grants and a small commercial licensing stream from WF-RepTool2 sales to non-member treatment plants, auditors, producers, and academia. As a not-for-profit, there are no dividends; the Forum is governed by a four-yearly elected Board and a General Assembly with one vote per full member. Go-to-market combines direct recruitment of qualifying PROs (subject to Board verification) with global expansion through the Twinning initiative, event marketing via the biennial conference (Dublin 2026) and International E-Waste Day, and EU policy advocacy at the European Commission, Parliament, and CENELEC technical committees.

Name

WEEE Forum

Legal name

WEEE Forum a.i.s.b.l.

Website

https://weee-forum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WEEE Forum a.i.s.b.l. is a Brussels-based not-for-profit international association of 50 producer responsibility organisations across 33 countries, providing harmonised standards, benchmarking software, and policy advocacy for the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and WEEE management services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Other Nonhazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal (562219)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Sanitary Services (4950), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Certified Compliance & Reporting Services (R2/e-Stewards, Audit, ESG) (BPALAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pollution Prevention & Toxics Reduction (BPAGAGAJ), Pollution Prevention, Chemicals & Waste (incl. Plastics) (BPADALAJ)

Keywords

• E-waste management
• Producer responsibility organisations
• WEEE compliance
• Circular economy services
• Environmental standards development

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Each member organisation pays an annual membership fee, as proposed by the Board and decided by the General Assembly. The General Assembly adopts the level of membership fees and calculation method each year. As a not-for-profit association, members do not pay dividends to shareholders and are run on behalf of producers of electrical and electronic equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WEEE Forum is a not-for-profit international association of 50 producer responsibility organisations (PROs) across 33 countries that operate extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). It provides members with benchmarking databases, harmonised treatment standards (WEEELABEX/EN 50625), operational software tools (WF-RepTool2, Key Figures, Urban Mine Platform, I4R, CO2-eq tool), policy advocacy at EU level, knowledge-exchange working groups, training via the Academy, and the global International E-Waste Day awareness campaign.

Product overview

The WEEE Forum is an international not-for-profit association of 50 WEEE producer responsibility organisations that serves as the world's foremost e-waste competence centre. Its product portfolio consists of multiple operational software tools and platforms focused on knowledge management, benchmarking, and best practice exchange. The core offerings include: WF-RepTool (reporting and treatment results database), Key Figures Platform (performance benchmarking), Urban Mine Platform (raw materials knowledge base), LibraWEEE (bibliographic database), I4R (information for recyclers), WEEE Directory (value chain actors), CO2-eq Calculation Tool (environmental benefit calculation), and WEEE Forum Collection Platform (collection best practices). Supporting initiatives include WEEELABEX standards (harmonised WEEE treatment standards now EN 50625), International E-Waste Day (awareness campaign), Batteries Roundtable (fire risk mitigation), and Academy (training). These tools collectively enable members to improve operations and promote the circular economy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WF-RepTool2
• Key Figures Platform
• Urban Mine Platform
• LibraWEEE
• I4R (Information for Recyclers)
• WEEE Directory
• CO2-eq Calculation Tool
• WEEE Forum Collection Platform
• WEEELABEX Standards (EN 50625)
• International E-Waste Day
• Batteries Roundtable
• WEEE Forum Academy

Quantifiable outcome

• 45 million tonnes of WEEE collected, de-polluted and recycled or sent for preparation for re-use by WEEE Forum member PROs since their founding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• WEEELABEX OrganisationcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe WEEE Forum designed the WEEELABEX standards (harmonised pan-European standards for WEEE collection, handling, storage, transport, preparation for re-use, processing, and disposal), which were turned into the EN 50625 standard hosted at CENELEC. The WEEELABEX Organisation was set up in Prague in April 2013 as an accredited body for certification of auditors and treatment plants. The WEEE Forum is a member of the WEEELABEX group of experts.
• CENELEC Technical Committee TC111X, Working Group 6coreTechnology or IntegrationThe WEEE Forum actively participates in the CENELEC Technical Committee TC111X, Working Group 6, dealing with the revision of the CENELEC 50625 series of standards on WEEE treatment.
• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe WEEE Forum engages with the European Commission on policy development for WEEE, EPR, and the Circular Economy Act. It participated in 14 EU-funded projects and has provided input to EU consultations on WEEE legislation, CRM Act, Circular Economy Act, Digital Services Act, and WEEE evaluation.
• FutuRaM Project ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe WEEE Forum is a partner in the FutuRaM project (Future raw materials), which developed the Urban Mine Platform. The platform builds on results of the ProSUM project and provides comprehensive data on secondary and critical raw materials across seven waste streams in Europe with projections to 2050.
• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeloitte co-authored the WEEE Forum study 'Towards more meaningful and robust WEEE management targets' (June 2025), which provides recommendations on future collection targets and calculation methods for the European Commission ahead of the WEEE Directive revision.
• European ParliamentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe European Parliament hosted the launch event for the WEEE Forum's Deloitte study on 2 June 2025, with MEP Bruno Tobback as host. The WEEE Forum regularly engages with the European Parliament on WEEE and circular economy legislation.
• DIGITALEUROPE and APPLiA (joint I4R platform)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe WEEE Forum jointly launched the I4R (Information for Recyclers) platform with DIGITALEUROPE (representing ICT and consumer electronics manufacturers) and APPLiA (representing home appliance manufacturers). The platform provides treatment information for each type of EEE placed on the market, as required under Article 15 of the WEEE Directive. The WEEE Forum hosts and maintains the platform.
• EuRIC (European Recycling Industries Confederation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuRIC co-authored reports with the WEEE Forum on fires caused by batteries in WEEE (2020 and 2021), including the characterisation report and recommendations for tackling lithium battery fires. EuRIC represents European recycling industries.
• EERA (European Electronics Recyclers Association)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEERA contributed to the joint report on recommendations for tackling fires caused by lithium batteries in WEEE, alongside EuRIC, EUCOBAT, Municipal Waste Europe, and WEEELABEX Organisation. EERA represents electronics recyclers across Europe.
• EUCOBATmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEUCOBAT contributed to the 2021 joint report on recommendations for tackling fires caused by lithium batteries in WEEE, alongside EERA, EuRIC, Municipal Waste Europe, and WEEELABEX Organisation.
• Municipal Waste EuropemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal Waste Europe co-authored the 2021 recommendations report on tackling fires caused by lithium batteries in WEEE, alongside EERA, EuRIC, EUCOBAT, and WEEELABEX Organisation.
• PRé SustainabilitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRé Sustainability, a world leader in sustainability metrics based on life cycle thinking, validated the WEEE Forum's CO2-eq Calculation Tool, which quantifies avoided CO2-eq emissions and energy savings from WEEE management.
• UNEP/GRID-WarsawmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNEP/GRID-Warsaw is a strategic partner of ElektroEko (a WEEE Forum member) in the Centre for Electro-Ecology education programme. They jointly lead a three-year nationwide educational programme on circular economy and WEEE management with a grant of over PLN 5 million.
• SamsungmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSamsung is a strategic partner in ElektroEko's Centre for Electro-Ecology education programme and the nationwide educational initiative on circular economy and WEEE management in Poland.
• University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFHNW conducted qualitative research (December 2025–February 2026) commissioned by SENS eRecycling (a WEEE Forum member) on factors influencing proper e-cigarette/vape disposal behaviour among 18–34-year-olds in Switzerland.
• The European House AmbrosettimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe European House Ambrosetti conducted a study alongside Erion (WEEE Forum member) titled 'The non-negotiable priorities for the future of businesses and the sustainable transition', presented at Erion's 2025 Sustainability Report launch event in Rome.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WEEELABEX Organisation: Independent accredited body for WEEE treatment-plant and auditor certification, set up in Prague in 2013 based on standards originally designed by the WEEE Forum. Operates in the same e-waste compliance ecosystem and shares technical experts.
• EucoLight: European association of lighting-specific WEEE producer compliance schemes. Closest direct peer: a smaller, vertical-specific PRO association with overlapping member base (e.g., AMBILAMP, ElektroEko are members of both) and parallel advocacy/benchmarking activities.
• StEP (Solving the E-Waste Problem Initiative): International multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving e-waste handling globally. Comparable mission (e-waste knowledge, standards, policy) and a similarly small, network-based operating model.
• Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI) / R2v3: Operator of the R2v3 responsible recycling standard and certification programme for e-waste recyclers globally. Direct competitor in the WEEE standards and certification space.

Broad incumbents

• EuRIC (European Recycling Industries Confederation): Confederation of European recycling industries covering WEEE, but also metals, paper, plastics and beyond. Co-author with the Forum on lithium-battery fire reports; a broader-incumbent peer operating in the same WEEE policy and standards space.
• ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries): US-based trade association for the broader scrap and recycling industry, including WEEE-relevant streams. Comparable membership-association model and policy-advocacy role, but with a much wider materials scope.

Emerging players

• Basel Action Network (BAN): US-rooted NGO focused on stopping hazardous-waste exports and promoting responsible e-waste recycling. Comparable advocacy stance on e-waste trade and standards, with overlapping coalition partners.
• Global Electronics Council: Operator of the EPEAT ecolabel and operator of the e-Stewards certification programme for electronics recyclers. Adjacent competitor in the electronics sustainability standards space.

Others

• DIGITALEUROPE: European trade association representing ICT and consumer-electronics manufacturers. Direct partner of the WEEE Forum on the I4R platform, and represents the producer side of EPR — complementary rather than competitive.
• APPLiA: European home-appliance manufacturers' association. Joint launcher with the Forum of the I4R platform and former employer of DG Pascal Leroy; sits on the producer side of the EPR equation rather than the PRO side.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/forumweee

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WEEE Forum