Commission has its say on water and waste laws

Environment Daily 1915, 06/07/05

The European Commission has issued formal opinions on the current status of draft revisions to two important EU environmental laws.

Final responsibility now rests with the council of ministers and European parliament in both cases, but the Commission's stance can still influence outcomes.

The first opinion concerns new EU rules on cross-frontier WASTE SHIPMENTS.  The European parliament is due to begin its second reading based on a common position reached by governments last month.

The Commission insists that the legislation should guarantee much freer trade in waste than proposed by the council of ministers.  It wants a dual legal basis centred on the environment and trade articles of the EU treaty, while the council wants a single, environment legal base.

It also opposes a council amendment allowing member states to block waste shipments destined for recovery abroad on the grounds that the waste will be processed to "lower treatment standards".  This would create market barriers while not improving environmental standards, the Commission insists.  At first reading MEPs took an even more trade-restrictive line than the council.

In an opinion on draft revised EU BATHING WATER STANDARDS, the Commission takes stock of parliament's second reading position.

Because this diverges from the council's position political conciliation negotiations are in view.

It accepts only half of the European parliament's amendments.  It rejects those proposing new emergency planning procedures and says MEPs' demands to bring forward compliance dates would put the law out of sync with the EU's water framework directive.

Follow-up: European Commission http://europa.eu.int/comm,

plus opinions on waste shipments http://register.consilium.eu.int/pdf/en/05/st10/st10830.en05.pdf

and bathing water http://register.consilium.eu.int/pdf/en/05/st10/st10722.en05.pdf.