On Wednesday 7 November, the national ambassadors of the 28 EU member states welcomed the minutes of the first interinstitutional negotiation meeting held the previous day on the proposal for a directive aimed at limiting the consumption of single-use plastic products in the EU. Such plastics are polluting the seas and oceans.
As in every inaugural trialogue, the two institutions put forward their respective positions, which were adopted in record time and which are not too far from each other on this proposal for legislation presented in May within the framework of the EU action plan for the circular economy. The Parliament, however, did distance itself from the Commission’s proposal to be more ambitious (see EUROPE 12130, 12124).
One diplomatic source said: “The mood was constructive but firm”. The Council underlined that some measures recommended by the Parliament had not been the subject of an impact assessment, unlike the Commission’s initial proposal.
In any event, “the Austrian Presidency still hopes to come to a conclusion during its term of office. Things are moving very fast and, ideally, we would like to conclude in December”, another source told EUROPE. More ample discussion will be held within the Council’s working group on the environment, which will hold a meeting on 13 November dedicated to this matter. The second trialogue is scheduled to be held on 29 November, and the third on 18 December. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)