The Directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) addresses a particularly complex waste flow in terms of variety of products, association of different materials and components, contents in hazardous sub- stances and growth pattern. It is based on the principle of producer responsibil- ity to create the link between the production phase and the waste phase of a product and concerns various actors involved in the life cycle of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), such as producers, distributors, consumers and operators of treatment plants. A review of the Directive is scheduled for 2008. To inform this review the Com- mission has contracted this study that focuses on the Producer Responsibility Principle of the WEEE Directive and its implementation in the Member States. It is conducted with the following objectives: * to provide a thorough evaluation of the operation of the Directive’s pro- visions relating to producer responsibility obligation for WEEE; * to consider options to improve the operation of those obligation in the EU; and * to consider the impacts, efficacy and efficiency of the Directive from an environmental and economic and, as far as possible, social perspective.