George Kremlis, Acting Director Legal Affairs and Cohesion, DG Environment

Transcription

1 Experiences gained from the application of EU legislation on waste management lessons to learn for the future on better implementation, compliance promotion, enforcement, EU cofinancing George Kremlis, Acting Director Legal Affairs and Cohesion, DG Environment

2 EU environmental policy Action Programmes 6th from Discussion on-going on 7th one 4 priority areas: climate change; nature & biodiversity; natural resources and waste; environment, health and quality of life 7 thematic strategies [soil, marine, air, pesticides, urban, natural resources, waste recycling] create action framework strategic approach: EU legislation; integration; international; sustainable production and consumption mid-term (2006) and final assessment (2011 on-going) of the 6 th EAP 2010 onwards - new policy approaches resource efficiency, green infrastructures, eco-efficiency

3 Resource efficiency Flagship within Europe 2020, where DG ENV is the lead Commission service Communication A resource-efficient Europe of , COM(2011) 21 final. Support the shift towards a resource efficient and low carbon economy, decoupling economic growth from resource and energy use «establish a vision of structural and technological changes required to move to a low carbon, resource efficient and climate resilient economy by 2050, which will allow for the EU to achieve its emissions reduction and biodiversity targets» Resource efficiency is about sustainable management and use of resources throughout their life cycle - from extraction, transport, transformation, consumption to the disposal of waste. It means producing more value with less material and consuming differently, to limit the risks linked with scarcity and for less environmental impacts, within our planet s natural limits. Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe Communication by mid-2011

4 Resource Efficiency policy is a web of synergies with existing policies agriculture & fisheries research cohesion enterprise environment consumer affairs

5 Waste Waste Framework directive Other directives landfills, packaging, electronic waste, etc. Strategic framework with objectives ("decoupling'" and "recycling society") underpinning legislative framework two thematic strategies

6 EU waste legislation Framework Legislation Waste Framework Directive Waste Shipment Regulation Waste Treatment Operations Incineration (Energy Recovery) Landfill Directive Recycling standards (under new WFD) Waste Streams Sewage Sludge Batteries Accumulators Packaging Packaging Waste Mining Waste End-of-Life Vehicles Electrical & Electronic Equipment PCBs, PCTs Hazardous Substances in WEEE

7 Implementation of waste legislation Main Challenges Ensure an adequate network of safe and legal waste disposal and recovery: waste management planning, putting in place the necessary infrastructure Reducing and managing certain waste streams: achievement of recycling and recovery targets (eg for electrical and electronic waste, end-of-life vehicles), reduction of biodegradable waste going to landfills Combating illegal waste disposal and illegal waste trafficking: investment in legal facilities, strengthening of inspection and enforcement systems

8 Infringements in waste sector (30 May 2011) Share of waste cases in DGENV cases Types of waste cases Waste; 91; 23% Impact; 39; 10% Water; 98; 25% Nonconformity 38; 42% Bad application 32; 35% Nature; 85; 22% Information; 4; 1% Liability; 1; 0% Air; 43; 11% Non- Chemicals; 31; 8% communication 21; 23%

9 Implementation of waste legislation Priorities for Commission's work Measures to improve control of waste shipments: impact assessment for a legislative proposal under way Infringement cases: priorities are timely and correct transposition of EU waste legislation, and horizontal cases of systemic bad application of waste legislation Compliance promotion: development of guidance, awareness raising events, meetings with Member States, co-financing of waste infrastructure

10 Integration in the cohesion policy I Co-financing environmental infrastructures (water, waste) to meet intermediate targets in Accession Acts SEAs carried out on Operational Programmes before their adoption Conditionalities (e.g. on respect of waste hierarchy, common indicators (post-2013) DG ENV - compliance checking more than performance checking (checklists water & waste) Synergies with LIFE + successor post 2013

11 Integration in the cohesion policy II When can EU co-financing payment be suspended? Regulation 1083/2006/EC, Articles 86 and 89 absence of Reasoned Opinion Campania Regional Waste Management - ECJ Court Judgement ( ) Other cases, when it helps compliance? What to do about old EIAs pre-accession? As a minimum an EIA screening, or full EIA, should be required for landfill rehabilitations.

12 Auditing Environmental auditing is a voluntary rather than legal obligation Ecolabel, EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) Participation in ECA performance audits (wastewater, drinking water, waste, industrial & military sites); sustainability of LIFE nature projects Integration audits (cross-compliance in agriculture; agri-environment) Participation in future ECA preliminary studies green transport; biodiversity; others (EIA/SEA?)

13 Future directions Top priority on implementation of environmental acquis, including waste New policy directions resource efficiency More conditionality in EU cofinancing

14 Thank You! For more information: