Eurochambers, the association of chambers of commerce and industry in Europe, welcomes the objective pursued by the European Commission to reduce the use of single-use plastic products in the EU to protect oceans, but is crucial about the practical details set out in the draft directive unveiled by the European Commission in May as part of the EU's plastics strategy (see EUROPE 12028).
The main focus is a simple ban on certain single-use products which Eurochambers says ‘affect the entire value-chain’- from manufacturer to consumer via sellers – and the expanded responsibility for a problem out of their condor, accruing to a document published on 24 July written by Eurochambers to set out its position.
Eurochambers says: ‘The outright ban of products must be reconsidered. Instead, consumers must be brought on board by awareness’ raising campaigns and promoting voluntary agreements in the member states to promote existing initiatives.
The organisation also recommends: - clarifying definitions throughout the draft directive it avoid divergent interpretations in the various member states and making a clear distinction between single-use plastic products and products partially used for food packaging, for example; - uniform application of the EU's rules on waste currently in force, with the priority of expanding producer liability; - guaranteeing industry flexibility for the eco-design of products: which should be based on innovation and company research rather than over-strict guidelines on the choice of materials technologies; - carrying out impact assessments for each implementation; - ensuring the EU encourages non-EU countries to set up collection, sorting, processing and recycling programmes for waste to tackle a global problem. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)