Towards a circular economy - review of EU waste legislation

ENVE-V-048
25th commission meeting, 16 October 2014
WORKING DOCUMENT
Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy
Towards a circular economy: review of EU waste legislation
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Rapporteur: Mariana Gâju (RO/PES), Mayor of Cumpăna, Constanţa county
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This document will be discussed at the meeting of the Commission for the Environment, Climate
Change and Energy to be held on 16 October 2014, beginning at 2.30 p.m., in Bologna (Italy).
DOCUMENT SUBMITTED FOR TRANSLATION: 17 September 2014
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EN
Reference documents
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European
Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Towards a circular economy: A
zero waste programme for Europe
COM(2014) 398 final
Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directives
2008/98/EC on waste, 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste, 1999/31/EC on the landfill of
waste, 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles, 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators and waste
batteries and accumulators, and 2012/19/EU on waste electrical and electronic equipment
COM(2014) 397 final - 2014/0201 (COD)
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I.
INTRODUCTION
1.
The Commission's proposals on waste management
On 2 July 2014, the European Commission adopted a package of measures on the circular economy.
This package includes a legislative proposal for new targets for recycling/reuse of municipal waste,
recycling of packaging waste and reducing landfilling of recyclable waste. To this end, it has
developed a new strategy aiming to achieve full implementation of existing legislation by 2020, and
to set a pathway towards long-term objectives for 2030.
These goals can be achieved by combining a set of new measures with existing measures, both
legislative and non-legislative.
2.
Make-up of the proposals
The package of measures adopted and published on 2 July contains:
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the Communication from the Commission Towards a circular economy: A zero waste programme
for Europe;
the proposal for a directive amending Directives 2008/98/EC on waste, 94/62/EC on packaging
and packaging waste, 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste, 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles,
2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators, and 2012/19/EU
on waste electrical and electronic equipment.
Previous Committee recommendations
In July 2013, the Committee of the Regions drew up an opinion on the review of the European
Union's key waste targets.
It primarily advocated the following:
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a responsible, sustainable waste prevention and management policy;
encourage the least performing Member States and local and regional authorities to pursue their
efforts to improve their performance levels;
strengthen national and international cooperation to support the development of infrastructures,
methods and capacities for good waste management;
the importance of having European waste statistics, which include regional data;
establish new targets closely in line with the scope for implementation in all Member States and
local and regional authorities, by respecting the precautionary principle;
adopt decoupled intermediate targets and give Member States and local and regional authorities a
degree of flexibility, taking account of their individual levels of development;
full application of the "polluter-pays" principle;
create a common language on waste management by establishing a single method for calculating
waste, a European lexicon for waste and a nomenclature for the classification of all waste streams.
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4.
Rationale for a new opinion
Following the publication of the package of measures on the circular economy, the CoR is currently
drawing up a new opinion, drawing on the opinion it issued in 2013 and incorporating points that are
important and relevant for the Committee of the Regions. This working document sets out a brief
overview of the new proposals, alongside concise analysis and a series of questions to the members of
the ENVE commission.
II.
POINTS RELEVANT TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
Recent trends and studies suggest that further progress on resource efficiency is possible and that it
can bring major economic, social and environmental benefits.
Turning waste into a resource is an essential part of increasing resource efficiency and closing the
loop in a circular economy.
1.
The European Commission's objectives
The main overarching objective is to ensure that valuable materials contained in waste are reused,
recycled and efficiently reintegrated into the EU economy, thus making progress towards a circular
economy in which waste is gradually used as a resource and new economic opportunities and jobs are
created.
The specific objectives of the proposal:
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to simplify EU waste legislation by clarifying and simplifying how waste is measured, clarifying
the main definitions and simplifying reporting obligations;
to enhance monitoring by improving the quality of statistics on waste and implementing an early
warning system;
to ensure optimal waste management in all Member States by promoting the dissemination of best
practices and ensuring a minimum level of harmonisation of extended producer responsibility
schemes;
to establish medium-term waste targets, in accordance with the EU's ambitions regarding
resource efficiency and access to raw materials.
Aspects relevant to the CoR (territorial and regional differences)
Beyond setting ambitious and binding targets, more in-depth analysis reveals a number of additional
aspects that should be taken into consideration in drafting the new opinion:
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by 2012, only one third of Member States had reached the 40% municipal waste recycling target;
half of all Member States are still landfilling more than 50% of waste generated;
at regional level, the recycling/composting rate varies between 5% and 70%;
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increasing recycling levels is problematic in regions where GDP is below EUR 20 000, in regions
with a low population density, in regions with a very high population density, and in urban areas
and regions in the south and east of the EU.
In the light of these aspects, it is clear that without additional support measures, the new targets may
have adverse effects, such as: increased waste management costs, increased traffic as regards transport
to waste management facilities, a decline in the quality of recycled materials and an increase in the
quantities of hazardous substances discharged into the environment.
3.
The CoR's proposals (comments)
The application, feasibility and impact of the proposal for a directive COM(2014) 397, which covers
waste management targets, will vary from one Member State to the next, and from one region to the
next. This will generally depend on the existing level of implementation, and on the experience gained
in waste management.
Moreover, the point should be made that the national recycling rate is not always representative of the
achievements of the regions, which vary greatly, even within a given country.
3.1
Setting new waste recycling targets with new deadlines
The Commission is proposing to increase the recycling/reuse rates for municipal and packaging waste
by setting new targets (70% for municipal waste in 2030 and 80% for packaging waste in 2030).
Do you agree with setting uniform targets for all Member States? Please elaborate on your answer.
Are you in favour of setting intermediate targets and transitional periods in line with Member States'
performances and starting points? Please elaborate on your answer.
3.2
Phasing out landfilling of recyclable waste
The Commission is proposing to phase out landfilling of plastics, paper, metals, glass and bio-waste
by 2025 – corresponding to a maximum landfilling rate of 25% for municipal waste.
Do you think 2025 is a realistic deadline? Please elaborate on your answer.
Do you think that this sharp decrease in the percentage of municipal landfilling will put local and
regional authorities under pressure? Please elaborate on your answer.
3.3
Full application of the "extended producer responsibility" principle
In order to enhance waste prevention, the Commission is proposing full application of the "extended
producer responsibility" principle, which may help limit the financial and organisational pressure
exerted on local and regional authorities.
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Do you think that the application of this principle will help limit the financial and administrative
pressure on local and regional authorities? Please elaborate on your answer.
3.4
Eliminating disparities between regions
The Commission notes that there are wide disparities between the regions when it comes to waste
prevention and management. The CoR recommends supporting the development of infrastructures,
methods and capacities for better waste management by and for the least performing Member States
and local and regional authorities, in particular by strengthening national and regional cooperation at
local and international level.
Do you think that disseminating examples of best practices and tailoring them to the specific
circumstances of regions will help to gradually iron out the disparities between regions and meet the
targets set by the Commission? Please elaborate on your answer.
3.5
Introduction of modified reporting obligations
The Commission is proposing to increase the frequency of reporting by Member States to annually as
regards the implementation of recycling targets for municipal waste, targets for packaging waste as
well as landfill diversion targets.
Do you think it would be a good idea to introduce reporting obligations at regional level? In your
view, would this help enhance the success of the policy at regional level? Please elaborate on your
answer.
3.6
The role of the CoR and local and regional authorities in implementing EU waste policy
The CoR underlines the clearly essential role of local and regional authorities in implementing EU
policy in this field, in creating and funding infrastructure for processing and storing waste and in the
operational management of waste streams, which are the major economic challenges facing local and
regional authorities here.
Do you think that implementing the new targets will put pressure on the budgets of local and regional
authorities, and on their administrative and operational capacity? Please elaborate on your answer.
The CoR stresses that the success of the measures arising from implementation of the circular
economy package hinges on local and regional authorities. It is very clear that much greater support
needs to be given to local and regional authorities, with a view to full and effective compliance with
the measures in the package, in the name of an EU environmental policy that is sound, and above all,
sustainable.
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