European Union

Here it comes! The European Commission today will publish its long awaited Circular Economy package.

If you have been following this saga, you will know that a Circular Economy package first appeared in July 2014, when Commissioner Potočnik led on environmental policy. Soon after however, winds changed in Brussels. The package became a victim of the Better Regulation agenda and was withdrawn with Commission Vice-President Timmermans’ promise to “replace [it] by [a] new, more ambitious proposal by the end of 2015.”

Is the Commission delivering on its First Vice President’s promise? How do we rate the level of ambition?

This is about waste

The revision of the waste legislative framework is the backbone of the Commission’s package. Recycling targets, calculation methods, Extended Producers Responsibility – and more – should keep MEPs and Environmental attachés busy next year. In fact, codecision has not even started yet and we already hear a few disappointing (potentially angry) voices: How could the Commission lower the municipal waste recycling target? Why switching back to an input-based calculation method? And where is the food waste reduction target?

This is about reconciling environmental and economic ambitions

Beyond waste, the Circular Economy package is an attempt to transform production and consumption patterns in Europe; an attempt to reconcile our economic model with environmental imperatives. The Commission’s action plan is crystal clear. Before 2019, a number of key initiatives should be undertaken in order to “reinvent our economy and create new competitive advantages for Europe on a sustainable basis.” All stages of the product lifecycle from production to consumption and from waste to the secondary raw material market will be considered, to truly ‘close the loop’. Product design is particularly interesting in this regard as the Commission announces that the future Ecodesign framework should systematically take into account criteria such as reparability, durability, recyclability or the identification of certain materials or substances.

This is about the Juncker Commission

Today’s publication is last – but not least – a test for the Commission’s ability to deliver on objectives and new working methods. Since taking office a year ago, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has tried hard to stick to its ‘growth and jobs’ direction and transform Commission’s internal working methods accordingly.

The Circular Economy is no exception. In fact, the package is likely to be one of the best examples of what the Better Regulation agenda has delivered so far. Indeed, while the first circular economy package had been very much dominated by DG Environment, the new one results from a joined effort between Commissioners Timmermans’ (regulation and inter-institutional affairs), Katainen’s (economy), Vella’s (environment) and Bienkowska’s (industry) services.

Has the Commission finally managed to overcome its ‘silo’ mindset? Is the package delivering on competitiveness and the environment? Will Members States, the European Parliament and all interested parties be seduced by this approach? The next months will tell us more. Stay tuned.

NOTE: You would like to know more about Circular Economy? Want to discuss the content of the package and understand what it means for your company or your sector? Don’t hesitate to send us a message.

Pauline Tawil and Lara Visser

FH Chemicals and Environment Legislative Timeline

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The "European Union-NATO Declaration on the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP)" and the "Berlin Plus" arrangements are the basic documents for the EU-NATO strategic partnership.

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The EU stands united with the people and Government of France and expresses solidarity on the 13 November Paris attacks.

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Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

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A Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the EU and Tajikistan was signed in October 2004 and it is currently being ratified by the EU Member States. Tajikistan is also part of the EU and Central Asia Strategy for a New Partnership.

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The EU-Canada Partnership Agenda adopted at the Ottawa Summit on 18 March 2004, identifies ways of working together to move forward, especially where joint action can achieve more than acting alone.

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Ministers in charge of competitiveness have a first discussion on the new internal market strategy. Better regulation, Competitiveness check-up, and European Research Area are also on the agenda of the Council, on 30 November and 1 December.

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Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Human rights have become an integral part of most donors' development cooperation. In addition to their intrinsic value, human rights are considered instrumental in achieving sustainable development. Implementing the international development goals related to civil and political rights and governance will be challenging. The EU has gradually refined its policy on integrating human rights into development cooperation. The EU approach includes imposing different forms of conditionality, supporting projects and programmes, and mainstreaming human rights across development actions. Aid to governance and civil society has increased in the last decade, reaching 9 % of the EU’s sectorallocable aid in 2013. Implementing a rights-based approach to development will be decisive, but challenging. The European Parliament, a strong supporter of integrating human rights into development cooperation, has its own toolbox to support human rights abroad.
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Barack Obama speaks with Angela Merkel on the sidelines of the Paris climate summit

Now that the EU has signed a tentative deal with Turkey to help it stem the flow of migrants coming from the Middle East, Brussels appears to be turning to other allies for help – including the US.

According to diplomats, the Obama administration has for months been asking for a “wish list” from the EU on ways it can help, and in recent weeks it finally got that list from the European Commission. Brussels Blog got its hands on the five-page memo, titled “Potential areas of US political and operational support on international immigration and refugee crisis”, and has posted it here. (To give credit where credit is due, our friends and rivals over at the Italian daily La Stampa got their hands on it before we did.)

The document contains few surprises, including a lot of requests for US funding. But there are a couple of “asks” that are particularly interesting. First, the Commission is seeking Washington’s help in pressuring Sunni allies in the Gulf to both help with money and with the more politically combustible issue of accepting some of the hundreds of thousands of refugees that have been fleeing Syria. Or, in the words of the document:

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Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP