Circular economy package: Four legislative proposals on waste

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Series Details March 2018
Publication Date March 2018
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‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings aim to provide Members of the European Parliament with systematic and automatic analysis on all substantial proposals for EU legislation at every stage of the legislative procedure. Each contains an account of the purpose, content and legal aspects of the legislation proposed, in particular analysing what the legislation would change, as well as any previous legislation and the background. An overview of stakeholders’ views is also provided, as well as the opinions of national parliaments and the two advisory committees.

They are all made publicly available for stakeholders and the public.Although waste management in the EU has improved considerably in recent decades, over a quarter of municipal waste was still landfilled and less than half was recycled or composted, with wide variations between Member States. Improving waste management could deliver positive effects for the environment, climate, human health and the economy.

As part of a shift towards a circular economy, the European Commission made four legislative proposals in 2015 introducing new waste-management targets regarding reuse, recycling and landfilling, strengthening provisions on waste prevention and extended producer responsibility, and streamlining definitions, reporting obligations and calculation methods for targets.

The European Parliament's Environment Committee adopted a position on the package of proposals in January 2017. The proposed amendmemts stated that the share of waste to be recycled should be raised to 70% by 2030, from 44% today, while landfilling should be limited to 5%. They also advocated a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030.

Wide differences existed between the Member States in the treatment of municipal waste (landfilling, incinerating, recycling and composting).

The agreement reached by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament was to be submitted for a vote in plenary in the Parliament in April 2018.

Author: Didier Bourguignon

Source Link http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/614766/EPRS_BRI(2018)614766_EN.pdf
Related Links
EP: EPRS: Briefing: EU Legislation in Progress http://epthinktank.eu/eu-legislation-in-progress/
EP: EPRS: Briefing, May 2016: Planned obsolescence: Exploring the issue http://www.europeansources.info/record/planned-obsolescence-exploring-the-issue/
European Parliament: Press Release, 14.03.17: Adoption of a position regarding the Circular Economy Package http://www.europeansources.info/record/adoption-of-a-position-regarding-the-circular-economy-package/
EP: EPRS: At a Glance, March 2017: Circular economy: Four proposals on waste http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2017/599303/EPRS_ATA(2017)599303_EN.pdf
EP: EPRS: Briefing, November 2017: Circular Economy - Key Publications http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2017/614182/IPOL_BRI(2017)614182_EN.pdf
ESO, March 2018: Legislative package delivering the Circular Economy Action Plan http://www.europeansources.info/record/legislative-package-delivering-the-circular-economy-action-plan/
EP: EPRS: At a Glance: Plenary, April 2018: Circular economy: Four proposals on waste http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2018/620205/EPRS_ATA(2018)620205_EN.pdf

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