Circular economy action plan progressing well says Vella
Speaking at a meeting of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety of the European Parliament, Vella stated that when fully implemented, the package would deliver a ‘triple win situation to society’ through ‘savings for EU businesses, job creation and a reduction of environmental pressures including carbon emissions’.
When the package was announced in December, it contained a number of targets and an action plan setting out key areas that would be adopted under the current commission’s mandate. These included providing extra funding to the circular economy, actions to reduce food waste, development of quality standards for secondary raw materials, measures in the Ecodesign Working Plan for 2015-2017 and a strategy on plastics in the circular economy.
Giving examples of progress made on the action plan, Vella pointed to the launch of the ‘Industry 2020 in the Circular Economy’ funding programme last year, a programme falling under the Horizon 2020 banner that will provide £495 million over 2016 and 2017 to develop the circular economy in the EU, and the European Commission’s (EC) adoption of a proposal for online sales of goods. In March, a revised Fertilisers Regulation was presented by the EC to improve the market access of organic and biowaste-based fertilisers in the EU.
To keep track of the action plan’s implementation, Vella said that a progress report will most likely be issued five years after the package’s adoption. However, more regular updates to member states, the European Parliament and stakeholders are under discussion.
The commissioner also noted that discussions on the legislative proposals on waste “have got off to a good start”, with reactions of the member states in the council working group “positive” so far. A draft report is set to be presented in May, with adoption of the report by the Environment Committee expected in November.
Ecodesign Work Plan
Vella also declared that the European Commission (EC) is preparing the new Ecodesign Work Plan, which will look at addressing energy efficiency in products but also reparability, durability, upgradability, and recyclability.
This week, however, the European Federation representing the European waste management industry has called for the EC to prioritise the Ecodesign Directive Work Plan. The Fédération Européenne des Activités de la Dépollution et de l’Environnement (FEAD) says that ecodesign will play ‘a determinant role’ in the successful transition to a circular economy and will become a crucial step to closing product loops.
However, the body has expressed its frustration at the lack of movement on development on the directive’s work plan for 2015-17, which was initially meant to be published in December 2015. The Circular Economy Package proposal released in December, it says, lists the directive work plan as a clear task in the action plan and was one of the key reasons to withdraw the initial proposal. To date, however, it notes that there has been no information regarding a specific date of publication.
FEAD Secretary General Nadine De Greef commented: “The Ecodesign Directive Work Plan for 2015-2017 is an excellent opportunity for Europe to take the lead in smart ecodesign and to ensure the success of the transition towards a circular economy. Our members are concerned by the necessity to raise awareness on the impact of ecodesign choices on the waste management processes.
“Therefore, it is important to us that durability, reparability and recyclability requirements are established in the coming work plan and that relations between the manufacturing and the waste and resource industry are facilitated and intensified. We also wish to highlight the determinant role played by extended producer responsibility schemes in providing incentives for manufacturers to design their products in a recyclable and non-hazardous way.
“FEAD members are playing an active part in the promotion of circular economy and hope that the new Ecodesign Directive Work Plan will become a decisive tool for the current package.”
Green Week
At the meeting of the Environment Committee, Vella also announced that the theme of this year's Green Week, which will run from 30 May to 3 June, will be ‘Investing for a Greener Future’. Each day of the week will take on a different topic, with events being held in Brussels focusing on investing in greener cities, countryside and oceans, as well as finding suitable finance and investing for future generations.
Vella said: “The strategic framework is well established, and now we must focus on implementing the actions we have agreed to – both internationally and at EU level… We must ensure that the financial system caters for sustainable development and helps us in achieving the commitments made last year in Paris on climate, in New York on the 2030 Agenda, as well as on the circular economy action plan.”
