On Tuesday 24 January, MEPs from the European Parliament Environment Committee said that ambitious waste recycling and prevention objectives for environmental protection are a minimum requirement if the EU is to successfully proceed towards the circular economy. This view was obvious, given the strong support for the European Commission proposal on revising the EU wastes directive –a key element in the December 2015 “Circular economy” package.
The four 'Bonafè' reports voted on focused on the most important framework directive on waste (2008/98/EC), as well as directly related directives: directive 2000/53/EC on the environmental scrapping of end of life vehicles and directive 2012/19/EU “waste electrical and electronic equipment', Landfill of Waste directive 1999/31/EC and “packaging waste packaging” directive 94/62/EC (see EUROPE 11573).
70% of waste recycled in 2030. According to MEPs, 70% of all EU waste should be recycled by 2030, a binding objective that will accompany the obligation to prepare 5% of this waste for reuse or repairs. Definitions of waste and recycling processes are also expected to be harmonised in an effort to facilitate comparisons between member states on the efforts made in this connection.
Producers should also ensure that there is full liability for their products from the moment they are designed, to the moment they are scrapped. The Environment Committee called for a significant reduction in waste by 2030 and a 5% maximum ceiling on waste in landfills in the majority of member states.
MEPs would also like an obligation to be imposed on member states to introduce waste prevention measures and fees for landfill.
Reducing food waste by half. In effort to reduce food waste, MEPs called for a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030 as a voluntary target for member states.
Simona Bonafè (S&D, Italy) the rapporteur was delighted with the vote and stated, “A large majority voted for an ambitious but pragmatic position. I think we need to work towards obtaining an agreement in the first reading. There is no agreement at the Council on targets or on the calculating method but this is going to affect Europe’s credibility. If we have a serious framework, this will attract investment”. She made her intervention during the debate that took place that day with the Maltese Presidency of the Council, which came to present its environmental priorities to MEPs.
NGOs welcome this vote. The largest Federation of environmental NGOs, the European Environment Bureau (EEB), immediately welcomed this vote, because it considers that MEPs have laid the foundations for an expansion in green jobs throughout Europe. It also welcomed the more robust action taken but still thinks this is not enough to combat food waste. The European court of Auditors, itself, recently called on the Commission to display greater political determination in this respect (see EUROPE 11705).
Piotr Barczak, Waste Policy Officer at the EEB, said, “The strong support shown for the recycling and repair sector by MEPs today can pave the way for over 800,000 jobs to be created across Europe by 2030. But for this boom to materialise, the Council must now put the economy and the planet first and support these ambitious targets". Around 800,000 new green jobs (867,000 exactly) is the figure the EEB highlighted in its assessment of the resource efficiency potential in Europe.
The EEB emphasises that, “Halving the amount of food wasted within the EU by 2030 would cut greenhouse gas emissions, save households money and reduce the pressure on land exerted by Europe’s insatiable demand for food”. It regretted, however, that the target requested by the Environment Committee is not binding.
The European Parliament will give its view on this dossier during the plenary session on 13-16 March. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)