In April 2001, industry commissioner Erkki Liikanen promised to put policy proposals to the parliament on voluntary agreements with industry on PVC waste, and an outline general strategy on PVCs.
But the parliament's Environment Committee heard on 4 June that the strategy proposal is still blocked in the commission.
This is because of disagreement over issues including the maximum recycling rate which should be sought, the use of PVC stabilisers, and incineration techniques.
Meanwhile, the draft on voluntary agreements has become embroiled in a wider commission debate on systems of governance in the European Union.
German Socialist MEP Dagmar Roth-Behrendt complained that the parliament had been waiting six years for a strategy directive on PVCs.
One of commissioner Liikanen’s officials said he hoped that high-level talks last week would allow the draft to be unblocked.
Environment Committee chair Caroline Jackson, a British Conservative MEP, plans to raise the issue with Liikanen and environment commissioner Margot Wallstrm at the committee’s next meeting on 17-18 June.
Subscribe for free