The FINANCIAL — EUROCHAMBRES welcomed the new Circular Economy Package, published by the European Commission on December 2, as a step in the right direction. Chambers consider that the draft legislation is better balanced and more holistic than the withdrawn 2014 package, but still see scope for improvement.
On the plus side, Chambers particularly welcome the Commission’s plans to harmonise and simplify the legal framework on by-products so that they can be more effectively reused for other industrial purposes. The introduction of an Early Warning System for monitoring compliance with recycling targets also seems positive. If used effectively, this must ensure that individual Member States cannot fall behind in their performance, as has been the case in the past. Moreover, the planned actions on increasing funding opportunities for research and innovation will be a crucial building block for achieving increased waste targets, according to EUROCHAMBRES.
The extended producer responsibility remains one of the most delicate aspects of the proposal. The proposed obligatory reporting system would inevitably cause additional administrative burdens for businesses. Moreover, the recycling targets for packaging waste still seem unrealistic, based on current technical possibilities. EUROCHAMBRES thus deems an extension of timeframes for achieving the targets necessary.
“There has been much discussion about the level of ambition of this package following last year’s withdrawal, but fundamentally EU legislation must be workable if it is to accomplish its objectives. The Commission proposal recognizes this on the whole and we hope that the co-legislators will show similar pragmatism and deliver a package that is beneficial for Europe, both environmentally and economically”, commented Arnaldo Abruzzini, Secretary General of EUROCHAMBRES.
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