In voting, on Tuesday 9 February, on the EU’s second Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Parliament voted by a very large majority (574 votes in favour, 22 against, 95 abstentions) for a higher level of ambition than the European Commission envisaged for decoupling economic growth from the waste of resources. The result, which was made public Wednesday morning, was widely welcomed by industry and NGOs, as well as by the Commission.
The non-binding resolution, adopted on the basis of the own-initiative report by Jan Huitema (Renew Europe, Netherlands), follows the recommendations of the European Parliament Committee on the Environment.
In particular, the Parliament calls for binding targets by 2030 for the significant reduction of material consumption, which would reduce Europe’s material and consumption footprints, bringing consumption and production patterns within planetary boundaries by 2050. It also aspires to new rights for consumers, so that they are no longer victims of planned obsolescence in everyday products (see EUROPE 12654/2).
“Excellent, to see high ambition at the Parliament!”, said the Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius, on his Twitter account.
The permanent packaging materials industry is satisfied. In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the European steel (APEAL), aluminium (European Aluminium) and glass (FEVE) packaging industries, members of the permanent materials coalition, welcomed the vote. According to these industries, the Parliament recognises the role of permanent materials in the transition to a fully circular economy, the need to improve separate collection, the essential role of packaging for product safety and the key role of consumers in waste prevention and management.
“Permanent materials that retain their inherent properties after recycling will enable Europe to keep valuable resources in an endless material loop of new products and packaging”, said APEAL Secretary General, Alexis Van Maercke.
An unprecedented breakthrough, according to EEB. The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) , welcomed the Parliament's recognition of the need to set targets to reduce over-consumption and decouple economic growth from resource use - an unprecedented measure, according to the NGO.
“Legally binding targets to reduce material use and consumption are badly needed. They were the main missing piece of the puzzle in the European Commission’s proposal”, said Stéphane Arditi, an EEB expert.
Sustainable products, the BEUC is delighted. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has welcomed an ambitious set of recommendations to make products sustainable by design.
“We warmly welcome the European Parliament’s call to make durable products the norm”, said Dimitri Vergne, Sustainability Team leader at the BEUC, in a press release on 10 February. He urged the Commission to incorporate the Parliament’s recommendations into its forthcoming proposals on more sustainable consumption and production in Europe. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)