On Tuesday 18 December, with an amended negotiating mandate, the Austrian Presidency of the Council will hold the new interinstitutional negotiating session on the proposal for a directive to limit the use of single-use plastic products in the EU - a real scourge on the oceans.
The ambassadors of the 28 EU Member States gave it this mandate on Friday 14 December “to allow a little flexibility from the Member States”, but “it is not certain that this trilogue will be the final outcome", a diplomatic source told EUROPE on Monday 17 December. The positions of the European Parliament and the Council are far apart.
A majority of Member States still do not want binding targets for reducing plastic filters, even if alternative solutions exist (see EUROPE 12158). But Parliament's ambitious position, defended by Belgian Frédérique Ries (ALDE), could be weakened on many other points, such as the extended producer responsibility regime. The collection targets for plastic bottles that the Council would like to reduce to 75% by 2025 and 90% by 2030 (instead of 90% by 2025), the targets for separate collection and recycling of fishing gear. The list of products to be banned would be less problematic.
“Negotiators will stay as long as it takes”, said this source. The Austrian Presidency is expected to report the outcome of this trilogue to the European Ministers at the Environment Council on 20 December (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)