EU seeks to reduce waste policy red tape

The European Commission is set to review its waste policy as part of a drive to cut red tape and reduce the regulatory burden on businesses.

The review is set to be presented in 2014 and will look at requirements set out in waste legislation such as the Waste Framework Directive, the Landfill Directive and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive.

Fitness checks of five of the EU directives dealing with separate waste streams, including legislation on packaging and packaging waste, end of life vehicles and batteries will also be carried out.

According to the Commission, Fitness checks are comprehensive policy evaluations assessing whether the regulatory framework for a policy sector is fit for purpose.

And, the third element of the waste policy review will assess how best to tackle plastic waste, based on the Green Paper on a European Strategy on plastic waste in the Environment, which was published in March 2013 (see letsrecycle.com story). The paper discussed the possibility of a plastics landfill ban.

The review is part of the Commissions Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme (REFIT), which comes in response to a recent Eurobarometer survey showing that 74% of Europeans believe there is too much EU red tape.

Launched yesterday (October 2), REFIT sets out various areas of policy where the Commission will consider withdrawing pending proposals or evaluate or repeal existing legislation.

As part of REFIT, fitness checks will also evaluate the EU Directive on Renewable Energy as well as legislation on health and safety at work.

A Commission consultation with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) earlier this year found that the movement and treatment of waste and health and safety in the workplace were among the most burdensome areas of EU legislation.

The Commission is planning to hold a workshop at the beginning of 2014 to discuss businesses concerns with regards to EU waste legislation, while it also plans to take action to increase the participation of businesses in the European Resource Efficiency Platform group.

The Platform group of which members include Commissioners, MEPs, businesses and academics aims to provide guidance to member states on the transition to a more resource-efficient economy.

Commenting on REFIT, Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said: With REFIT, the Commission has undertaken the most comprehensive exercise to date to make EU law lighter and simple.

He added: Today’s REFIT package provides a pragmatic outlook for the future of regulation in Europe just a few months ahead of the European elections in May 2014.