The European Union (EU) directives on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), Batteries and Packaging are three major take-back legislations in Europe which require manufacturers to organize and finance the collection and recycling of end-of-life products and packaging.
 Sony takes full responsibility for its take-back obligations in all those European countries where it has sales companies^*1.

 In Europe Sony joined forces with other manufacturers, Braun, Electrolux and HP, to form the European Recycling Platform (ERP) in December 2002. The aim of ERP is to establish efficient and cost-effective systems for the collection and recycling of end-of-life electrical and electronic products to enable member companies to fulfill their obligations as manufacturers.

 ERP operates WEEE collection and recycling services in Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and United Kingdom. ERP conducts regular onsite audits of all contracted recyclers to ensure compliance with the WEEE directive as well as to prevent illegal shipments of WEEE outside the EU.
 For European countries other than the 11 listed in the preceding paragraph, Sony cooperates with authorized recycling organizations that undertake recycling in lieu of manufacturers to ensure its products are recycled in a manner that complies with the WEEE Directive or related legislation and regulations in each country.
 In 2008, Sony financed the costs of recycling around 52,980 tons of waste electrical and electronics products in Europe^*2.

 The EU battery directive enacted in Sept. 2008 replaced already existing national legislations and expanded mandatory producer take-back and recycling of batteries towards the entire EU.

 In those 17 European countries with already enacted legislation and implemented take-back operation, Sony either utilizes ERP's newly established battery take-back services or contributes as a founder or member to other authorized battery take-back organization.

 In numerous European countries, producers are legally responsible for the collection and recycling of waste from packaging. Sony fulfills this obligation through membership in authorized collection and recycling organizations wherever applicable.