Brussels – The European Commission has been forced to defend its Circular Economy package during a debate in the European Parliament’s Environment Committee (ENVI), in which MEPs have supported a much more ambitious proposal for EU waste laws.
The Circular Economy package put forward by the Juncker Commission saw weaker landfilling and recycling targets than those put forward by the outgoing Barroso Commission. In the face of criticism from the ENVI Committee, the Commission was forced to defend its proposal, saying it had, “aimed at combining ambition with realism.”
ENVI Committee’s report proposed instead that the 2030 recycling target for municipal waste be increased from 65% to 70%, and asked the Commission to also introduce goals for industrial and commercial waste. The report, by Rapporteur Simona Bonafe (S&D), was praised by ENVI Committee MEPs and environmental NGOs.
The ENVI Committee will continue to make amendments on the report until 1 July.