The European Parliament,

–  having regard to Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives(1),

–  having regard to Rule 133 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the recycling and management of waste have a potential for job creation that is still underrated;

B.  whereas recycling promotes local, sustainable, equal-opportunity jobs and encourages the integration of disadvantaged and disabled people;

C.  whereas prevention, reuse and recycling should be given precedence over energy recovery and disposal;

1.  Calls on the Commission to promote research and technology relating to sustainable, reusable and recyclable products;

2.  Encourages the Commission and the Member States to give support to local authorities in achieving the objectives set by national and European legislation, in particular a recycling rate of over 50%;

3.  Encourages the Commission to do more to raise awareness of the environmental, social and economic importance of recycling and to ensure that recycled products, materials and paper are used as a matter of course in the European institutions to set an example;

4.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and to the Council and the national parliaments.

(1) OJ L 312, 22.11.2008, p. 3.