Commission urged to retain resource efficiency plans
Consumer packaged goods giant Unilever is among the companies that joined with Friends of the Earth and EEF, the manufacturers organisation, to urge the Commission to keep its ‘Circular Economy’ package within its work plan.
The Commission is due to meet later today (December 17) to discuss its priorities for the coming years. Leaked proposals suggest the plan to increase recycling rates to 70% of waste by 2030, as well as a clean air directive, will be scrapped.
Head of climate and environment policy at EEF Gareth Stace said: “The circular economy presents an opportunity for companies to enhance their resource efficiency, shield themselves from resource risks and boost their competitiveness.
“It is not simply something that is driven by environmental concerns, but activity that must be seen within a broader economic context.”
Other items included in the package include increasing packaging waste recycling and reuse, phasing out landfilling for recyclable waste, and reducing food waste by 30% by 2025, among others.
Commission first vice-president Frans Timmermans said on Tuesday that the Commission intended to achieve results, including on environmental standards.
"But it would be pointless to let the EU institutions waste time and energy on proposals which have no chance of being adopted – that will not deliver the results we want to see on the ground,” he said. “So whenever that's the case we will think of other, more effective ways to achieve our common objectives.”
Julian Kirby, waste and resources campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “Pulling plans to boost Europe’s resource efficiency would put short-termism over the long-term benefit of us all for decades to come…. It’s not too late for President Juncker to put plans for cleaner air and resource efficiency back into his brief – and deliver the lean, sustainable and resilient economy we all want to see.”
