EU agrees waste package deal

EU member states have “gone the extra mile” by finally agreeing to meet MEP demands on recycling targets, according to Caroline Jackson.

The British conservative MEP welcomed the council's acceptance of the package of amendments put forward by MEPs.

The package was put together earlier this week at an informal trialogue of the parliament, council and commission.

Despite fears that a compromise deal would not be found and that the package would be heading for the EU’s conciliation procedures, agreement was reached on Wednesday by COREPER, the committee of EU member states’ permanent representatives.

Jackson said, “The council appears to have gone the extra mile to meet the parliament.

"I particular welcome the council's willingness to raise the recycling targets for household and similar waste to 50 per cent and to 70 per cent for construction and demolition waste, as the parliament had originally proposed.”

The recycling target had been the biggest point of disagreement over the proposed revision of the directive.

Parliament’s environment committee had insisted on including the targets, and Jackson had fought to ensure they were kept in the final agreement.

“These targets are very important to MEPs. Recycling represents a sustainable way of dealing with waste and many countries need to put more effort into developing recycling schemes,” Jackson said after the committee backed her report in April.

Commenting in a press release following Wednesday’s agreement, Jackson said, “I believe this gives us a good deal to take to the parliament for endorsement in the June plenary session.

“Those who oppose it should realise that it is the best deal that the council is likely to accept and that going to conciliation may risk losing everything, including the recycling targets, which the commission has confirmed are enforceable.”

Jackson said the agreement, which was achieved partly by conceding to member states that incineration of waste could be categorised as “recovery” rather that “disposal”, and by postponing the setting of a waste prevention target, was still a triumph for the parliament.

“The package that we have represents a very significant achievement, namely that this is the first time that recycling targets for household waste and construction and demolition waste have appeared in community legislation.”

MEPs will decide on the deal at a second reading vote in the parliament’s Strasbourg plenary session in June.

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