Negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, attended by the European Commission, will be able to begin on Tuesday 6 November on the proposal for a directive aimed at reducing the consumption of single-use plastic (which pollutes the oceans) within the EU, and on a full ban on around ten disposable plastic products most commonly found on beaches, a European source confirmed on Monday 5 November.
They did it: EU member states’ ambassadors managed to finalise the Council’s position on Wednesday 31 October, thus keeping the promise made to the Parliament rapporteur, Frédérique Ries (ALDE, Belgium) (see EUROPE 12124).
This position is slightly more ambitious than the proposal tabled by the Commission, without going further than the European Parliament’s position.
“We will ban plastic products for which good alternatives exist. And we will make plastic producers pay for cleaning up”, commented Elisabeth Köstinger, Federal Minister of Sustainability and Tourism of Austria.
The Council agrees with the list of products that the Commission would like to see banned in member states as of 2021, with the addition of expanded polystyrene cups for beverages.
It hopes that, by 2023, plastic-lined paper plates will be added to the list of products for which there will be a reduction in consumption.
The Council gives a clear definition of single-use plastics saying that such products are specifically intended to be used just once during a short time period before being discarded. The fact that the product is thrown into the sea and oceans will play a key role. The Council thus hopes the Commission will publish guidelines, developed in consultation with member states, to give examples of what should be considered as single-use plastic products.
It is in favour of extended producer accountability so that producers may contribute to the cost of cleaning beaches and heightening citizens’ awareness. It withdrew, however, the obligations for separate collection of cigarette filters, wet wipes and balloon rods.
The Council hopes to extend this enlarged accountability to importers and to sellers of throwaway plastic products in the EU in order to avoid all loopholes. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)