7 January, Brussels – The European Commission announced at the end of December that it is cutting its proposed Circular Economy package, but has promised that more ambitious legislation will be tabled in 2015 following outcry from green groups and MEPs.
The announcement came as part of the presentation of the Commission’s 2015 Work Programme, and reflects the Juncker Commission’s aim of “better regulation,” overseen by Vice-President Frans Timmermans.
Groups including the WWF, European Trade Union Confederation and the European Environmental Bureau have strongly condemned the move, with Friends of the Earth Europe, saying that it, “does nothing for European people, the wider economy or the environment,” and Bidlife Europe calling it a, “badly thought-out PR exercise”.
The Circular Economy package was intended to increase recycling levels and tighten rules on incineration and landfill, through proposals on waste, packaging, landfill, end of life vehicles, batteries and accumulators, and waste electronic equipment. The Barroso Commission calculated that it would save around €600 billion, create two million jobs and deliver 1% GDP growth.
Click here to see the Commission Work Package 2015.