Position papers
Over the last decades, the European recycling industries have drastically evolved by modernizing and constantly innovating to turn more waste streams into new resources. By doing so, the sector has contributed to the development of new technologies and automated equipment made in Europe and exported around the globe. The European regulatory framework has accompanied these changes thanks to ambitious targets and a meaningful waste hierarchy. However, the recycling sector continues to be subject to a complex and ever-growing EU regulatory framework, which affects its activities. To ensure a competitive European recycling sector, which is part of a global industry, EuRIC advocates clear, effective and smart European policies which:
- Incentivise recycling across the value chains;
- Minimise regulatory burdens on recyclers, in particular on SMEs;
- Guarantee an open and fair competition within Europe and with the world to foster a genuine internal recycling market.
EuRIC also advocates positive measures to ensure a consistent implementation of existing legislation across Europe.
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Position paper - Boosting the circular economy by speeding up waste shipment procedures in the EU - 27.03.2019
The Waste Shipments Regulation (WSR) is a vital piece of legislation. The EU guarantees free movement of goods, services and people. It has strict rules in place to ensure that not only waste shipments are safe and traceable, but also that the waste is properly treated at its final destination. The Regulation unfortunately is implemented by the Member States with largely differing enforcement rules. Consequently, the shipments of wastes for recycling are often hampered resulting in counterproductive results. In order to ensure a smooth functioning of EU waste markets, an update of the Regulation, which guarantees the implementation of harmonized rules and procedures across the EU Member States is vital for the completion of the EU Circular Economy. Particularly the improvement of notification procedures of waste shipments to compliant recycling facilities, producing secondary raw materials, offers huge potential. A first Fast-Track Notification pilot project has been successfully approved within 19 working days and testifies of the benefits of speeding up notification procedures, in line with Article 14 of the Regulation.
Boosting the circular economy by speeding up waste shipment procedures in the EU -
Position paper - Revision of the R-Codes of the Basel Convention - 12 March 2019
EuRIC is very concerned about the recommendations as suggested by the Expert Working Group onthe review of the Annexes for revisions to Annex IV of the Basel Convention. Certain proposals recommended would lead to legal uncertainty and also negatively impact the classification ofrecycling activities. Annex IV of the Basel Convention in its original form has functioned for thirty years, and still does soin the EU’s Waste Framework Directive of 2018, ensuring its first revision still supports and not harms the European recycling industry is essential.
EuRIC position on the revision of the R-Codes of the Basel Convention -
EuRIC's reaction on the roadmap: “Legislation on end-of-life vehicles - evaluation” - October 2018
The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) strongly welcomes the publication of the Roadmap to evaluate the Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles (ELV Directive). As a reaction to this roadmap, representing one step ultimately leading to a review of the ELV Directive, EuRIC calls on the European Commission to seize this opportunity for (i) solving the issue with a large number of vehicles of unknown whereabouts in Europe and (ii) making dismantling and recycling of ELV easier by introducing binding eco-design measures.
EuRIC's reaction to the Roadmap to evaluate the Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles -
Press release - Provisional Agreement on the SUP Directive: EuRIC applauds binding recycled content target in plastic bottles by 2025 and 2030 - 19.12.2018
The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) warmly welcomes the provisional agreement on the Single Use Plastics Directive (SUP) setting a binding target of at least 25% of recycled plastic for PET beverage bottles from 2025 and a target of 30% of recycled content by 2030 for all plastic bottles.
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Preliminary Comments – Proposals to amend annexes II, VIII and IX of the Basel Convention - 19.12.2018
EuRIC is pleased to share preliminary comments on the proposals made by Norway to amend annexes II, VIII and IX of the Basel Convention which would impact the classification of plastic waste under the Basel Convention with the declared objectives to curb marine litter.
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Joint Paper – Calling for an ambitious and comparable measurement point for glass recycling - 22.11.2018
FEVE, FERVER, EXPRA and EuRIC are committed to increasing the quality and efficiency of the glass recycling value chain through separate collection, quality recycling and closed loop manufacturing of glass. To help us achieve this, we support a single, harmonised, ambitiousand enforceable calculation methodology for glass in all Member States.
Joint Paper on Glass Measurement Point for Recycling_21November2018 -
Position paper – Recast of the POP Regulation ahead of the vote in Plenary: Preserving high quality plastics recycling from WEEE & ELVs in Europe - 13.11.2018
The proposal made in the ENVI Committee to set an unintentional trace contaminant (UTC) of 10 ppm for decaBDE in the Annex I of the POP Regulation, which is 100 times lower than the threshold set by the REACH restriction, will put an end to plastics recycling from WEEE and ELVs in Europe. European plastics recyclers from WEEE and ELVs contribute to remove large quantities of hazardous substances from the material cycles and accelerate their phase out. For this reason, EuRIC urges the European Parliament to support amendment 30 tabled by Mrs. Julie GIRLING, Rapporteur of the ENVI Committee, which is vital to preserve state of the art plastics recycling from WEEE and ELVs in Europe while strengthening environmental standards, in line with the aim of moving towards a more circular economy.
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Joint statement - Coalition Call to Support Binding Recycled Content Targets in Beverage Bottles - 07.11.2018
EuRIC and all the co-signatories of this joint statement urge the Council to support the binding target of at least 35% recycled plastic in beverage bottles by 2025.
RecycledContent.EU - Joint Statement on Mandatory Recycled Content - SUP -
Position paper – Options to address the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation - 29.10.2018
EuRIC welcomes the publication of the Communication and Staff Working Document proposing different options to address the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation. These documents rightly frame the main issues hindering the transition to a circular economy. However, some of the solutions (proposed in the form of options) to those issues are not ambitious enough to foster circular material flows.
Position paper_Options to address the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation -
Press release – Binding recycled content target for plastics in beverage bottles voted by the European Parliament - 25.10.2018
The European Parliament in plenary meeting approved in a landmark vote on 24 October 2018 a target of 35% of mandatory recycled plastic by 2025 in beverage bottles. This binding target is part of the report led by Ms. Frederique RIES, Rapporteur for the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament (ALDE, BE), which amends the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive proposed by the European Commission. EuRIC strongly welcomes this landmark vote, which will boost the demand for recycled plastic in single use plastics.
Press release_RecycledContent_ENVICommittee_25.10.2018