Brussels, 27/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - Greening the European Semester, waste management and climate change will be on the agenda of EU28 environment ministers meeting on Tuesday 28 October in Luxembourg, under the presidency of Gian Luca Galletti, the Italian minister for the Environment, Territorial and Marine Protection. Connie Hedegaard, Commissioner for Climate Action, and Janez Potocnik, Commissioner for the Environment, will be taking part in their last Environment Council.
Waste Management. The Council will hold a very first public orientation debate and adopt conclusions on the draft directive for amending and enhancing EU legislation. This proposal is part of the “Circular Economy-Zero Waste” package presented last July. The key to this package is an upward revision in recycling targets. Ministers will be called on to say: 1) whether the level of ambition in the proposal is appropriate; 2) what measures they believe need to be strengthened; 3) whether they are satisfied with the way waste prevention and recycling is taken into account. On Monday 27 October, European sources indicated that, “member states are once again defining their position on this issue. This debate will help towards making progress in the work at the Council”.
The Commission is proposing 70% recycling rates for solid municipal waste and 80% for packing waste by 2030 (with a temporary 60% target up to 2025), as well as a ban on land filling any recyclable materials: paper, glass, biodegradable waste up to 2025.
Climate change. During dinner, ministers will hold an exchange of views on the European Council results that have just sealed an agreement on the integrated climate/energy action framework for the 2020-30 period (EUROPE 11184). Ministers will be called on to express their ideas on what the next stage should be. A presidency source indicated, “ministers are not going to discuss things decided at the most senior level again. We will see if there is a need to provide further details for certain aspects but there is no obligation to do so”.
The Council will also proceed to the adoption of conclusions on key elements in the position the EU will be advocating at the UN climate conference in Lima (COP 20, 1-12 December) at which the essential elements in a draft negotiating text should be ready for May 2015. The Council is expected to highlight the urgent need for global action, which should be translated into the conclusion of a global, ambitious and legally binding agreement in Paris (COP 21, December 2015)
European Semester: the Council will have a political debate and adopt conclusions on further “greening” of the European Semester and the EUROPE 2020 Strategy. This will include the contribution by environment ministers to the mid-term examination of this strategy, planned in 2015. The Council is expected to highlight the importance of enhancing the environmental dimension in this exercise, particularly by adding an indicative target for efficiency in using resources and encouraging inclusion of the circular economy principles and green jobs potential in the annual coordination of economic policies in 2015. The Informal Joint Environment/Employment Council in Milan on growth and green jobs highlighted the extent of this potential, last July (EUROPE 11124). Ministers will express their determination to help strengthen the role played by the Environment Council. (AN)