European non-ferrous metal trade body Eurometaux has written to EU Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans calling for improvement to the circular economy package.
Amid concern that the package introduced by the former Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik might be withdrawn under a review of legislation being undertaken by the Vice President, Eurometaux has expressed its preference that the package is improved.
In a letter send last week to Frans Timmermans, Eurometaux noted that it has certain reservations around the Commission’s proposals on the circular economy and resource efficiency and believes it can be improved.
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However, it added that the package was an important attempt to promote quality recycling.
It suggested that equivalent conditions for recycling must be required wherever waste is treated, so as to ensure a global level playing field and support quality recyclers.
The Package’s recycling targets should also be realistic, notably with regard to the calculation methods and time horizon, it said.
Eurometaux director general Guy Thiran said: “Eurometaux conveys its support to further use of the inter-institutional process, in close cooperation with relevant stakeholders, to improve proposed measures of the Circular Economy Package so that it can enforce conditions needed to boost recycling, as well as enhance industrial competitiveness and support growth and employment in Europe.”
The letter was sent prior to a speech by new European Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella, in which he signalled that the Circular Economy Package will be retained, although he did not give detail on whether it will be modified.
