The new committee will look specifically at the UK's preparations for the implementation of the European WEEE Directive and the ELV Directive. The directives require manufacturers to be made responsible for the treatment and recycling of WEEE and ELVs.
In a statement, the committee said: “In light of the report of the Government Better Regulation Task Force, published in July (see letsrecycle.com story), the committee will look at preparations made for the implementation of the ELV Directive and the WEEE Directive. It will also scrutinise the role played by the government in negotiating each Directive, and – in the case of the ELV Directive – its subsequent transposition into national law, to ascertain whether there are any lessons to be learnt.
The statement added: “It will particularly examine the capacity of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to deal with such directives.”
In its consideration of these directives, the Committee will also examine associated legislation such as the Restriction on the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (ROHS) Directive.
Evidence
The EFRA committee has invited interested parties to submit written evidence for the consideration of the dedicated sub-committee.
The committee said that submissions should address its terms of reference as briefly as possible. It has specified that submissions must be an original piece of work, less than 3,000 words.
The evidence can be emailed in Word or WordPerfect format to devenieg@parliment.uk by October 24, 2003. The committee added that the e-mail must include a contact name, telephone number and postal address and make clear who the submission is from.
Oral evidence sessions will be held in November or December 2003, with witnesses being announced in due course.
For more information on the WEEE and ELV Directives, see the letsrecycle.com legislation section.
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