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Opening this morning's debate on two Commission proposals to deal with the growing problem of electronic waste, Karl-Heinz FLORENZ (EPP-ED, D) said that some 6 million tonnes of such waste were generated in 1998 with forecasts predicting an annual increase of some 3 to 5% a year. In other words, the amounts would double over the next 10 years. This being the case, he felt there was a need to move away from placing the responsibility of handling such waste from local authorities via a local tip to manufacturers. In other words, companies should be encouraged to redesign products with recycling in mind, and he singled out computers as one area where this could be done, thus minimising the impact on the environment. Some 10 categories of materials have been designated by the Commission with various recommendations for each one. And, he added, it was also necessary to deal with the problem of dangerous substances or hazardous waste. The Commission was proposing that the new rules would come into force around 2005 or 2006 but he did not see why the legislation could not come into force much sooner, for example 13 months after it was finally approved. He also supported the idea of targeting a separate collection for some 6 kg of waste per capita each year as against the 4 kg proposal by the Commission. He recognised that it was necessary to strike the right balance as to who should pay the final cost since piling up too much responsibility for the retailer would have an adverse impact on businesses which may not have the facilities to cope with products no longer needed. In other words, there was a strong argument for sharing the costs.

Speaking for the Industry Committee, Nuala AHERN (Greens/EFA, Leinster), too recognised the problem, especially as far as the municipal authorities were concerned in coping with this ever increasing demand. She therefore supported extending the financial responsibility for disposing of the final product to the producer. This would encourage manufacturers to redesign electrical goods in a more environmentally friendly way, she argued. More emphasis should be place on waste prevention, she felt and she agreed on the need to deal with hazardous substances. She drew attention to the call for an exemption for one product, toy soldiers made of lead where, she said, there were technical problems in finding alternatives and more effort should be made to resolve this, she felt.

Cristina GARCÍA ORCOYEN TORMO (EPP-ED, E) felt that there was need to reconcile the various interests in this area and agreed on the need for a separate collection for a target of 6 kg per inhabitant, although she felt that there should not be hard and fast rules across the whole of the EU in view of the different situations in, for example, Southern countries such as Spain, Italy compared with Germany. She too recognised the need for exemptions.

For the PES, Kathleen VAN BREMPT (NL) did not feel that the Commission proposal did in fact deal with all the objectives of promoting recycling and recovery, especially where energy recovery was concerned. She also felt that it was important to lay down specific rules for exports to Third countries so that there were guarantees that such exports would in fact be re-used and she agreed on the need to tackle the problem of hazardous substances. There was also a need to deal with the question of flame retardants.

Chris DAVIES (ELDR, North West) drew attention to the campaign 30 years ago run by the Friends of the Earth to deal with the growing problem of disposing of bottles, which he felt was perhaps the first sign of environmental concern and led to attempts to deal with waste disposal in a coherent and positive fashion. Unfortunately, he added, the UK was often dragging its feet, as far a recycling was concerned and far too often bowing to demands from businesses or lobbyists. Therefore, he welcomed a waste strategy emanating from the EU, which would put pressure on Member States and manufacturers to act responsibly. There was also the question of whether to provide an exemption, for example, for environmentally friendly low energy and long-life light bulbs. Alexander de ROO (Greens/EFA, NL) was firmly of the belief that producers would only act in improving design of their products if they were forced to pay the cost of disposal.

Jonas SJÖSTEDT (EUL/NGL, S) welcomed the proposal in principal and stressed the importance of environmentally friendly products. He believed however, that the Commission could have gone further in reducing hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

Margot WALLSTROM winding up for the Commission pointed to the significant dangers in the increase of electrical and electronic waste. 14 kg of waste per being produced each year by every person. By 2010 over 8% of all municipal waste would be electrical and electronic. Outlining the Commission's proposals she stressed the need for EU-wide coordination. She then listed the substantial number of amendments that she could accept in full or in principal. However, there were a number that would require further negotiation between the institutions.

Parliament approved proposals to reduce air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles with amendments to include emissions from light commercial vehicles and vans. Another amendment calls for a period of nine months for implementation of the directive while another seeks to include stricter limit values for CO emissions.

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The House voted to endorse these resolutions on a number of technical proposals.

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The House voted with amendment to endorse this change to the current financial regulation. It wants the threshold for referral to the Advisory Committee on Procurement and Contracts to be €200,000 rather than the Commission's proposal for a €500,000 threshold. The resolution also calls for an evaluation of these changes to take place after six months.

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Georgios Ghiatis
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The House voted to endorse these proposals that are designed to enhance the effectiveness of petitioning Parliament and improving procedures in this field.

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Claudia Delpero
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In amending a Commission proposal to update two company law directives designed to introduce the principle of "fair value" accounting, MEPs voted to include banks and other financial institutions as these are among the most frequent users of derivative financial instruments. The application of fair value to them will foster market transparency and market discipline. The Commission’s proposal does not include banks and other financial institutions, as the Commission prefers to bring forward similar proposals for their accounting requirements at a later stage.

The amendments, while broadly endorsing the Commission’s proposals, aim to clarify and improve the wording of the text and also make a number of substantive changes to it.

The amendments also seek to clarify which categories of company, as well as which financial instruments and commodity-based contracts, fair value accounting should be applied to.

On information-related matters, Parliament wants more far-reaching disclosure on derivative financial instruments. However, the intention is to allow exemptions for small companies from additional disclosure on derivatives. In addition, the idea is that there should be no requirement to provide information if it is insignificant.

The purpose of the proposal is to bring EU legislation into line with the new International Accounting Standards (IAS). In order to take account of the widespread use of derivative financial instruments such as futures, options, forward contracts and swaps, the IAS have moved away from the "historical cost" valuation model on which the existing directives are based (”historical cost” being the price actually paid for an asset or liability) towards ”fair value accounting” (where an item is valued at today’s market value).

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The House voted to endorse the compromise agreement on a draft directive on the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products. It lays down maximum levels for tar, carbon monoxide and nicotine and will enter into force by 30 September 2002. In future all packets of tobacco products will have to give a general warning that smoking is harmful. Over and above the general warnings, Member States will have the option of requiring photos to be displayed on packets that depict and explain the health consequences of smoking. Member States may also prohibit the use of ingredients which increase the addictive products of tobacco products. Terms such as "low tar", "ultra light" and "mild" and new brand names and designs suggesting that a particular tobacco product is less harmful than others, will be banned. Transitional arrangements will apply to the introductions of ceilings for tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide for exported cigarettes in order to allow more time to change product specifications and to allow for the establishment of internationally agreed standards. The Commission will also be examining the issue of tobacco vending machines. In addition, it will draw up a report on the functioning of the market in raw tobacco.

Parliament voted a substantial number of amendments to the common position on proposals for official inspections in the field of animal nutrition. In particular it calls for on the spot checks to be carried out without prior notice by Commission experts. It also called for the directive to cover changes that occur in products as a result of faults in the manufacturing process.

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Parliament broadly endorsed Council's common position on proposals to encourage mobility within the EU for students, persons undergoing training, young volunteers, teachers and trainers. The House accepts the Commission's view that researchers cannot be included in the recommendations because of the legal basis. It endorses the Commission's proposals to issue a separate document on researchers as part of the follow-up to its communication on the European research area. It also welcomes the Action Plan on Mobility agreed by Council in December 2000. This plan proposes a "toolbox" of 42 concrete measures designed to overcome obstacles to mobility. A few amendments were adopted that seek to clarify what follow-up action is expected of both the Commission and Member States and to take due account of the Action Plan on Mobility. One amendment seeks to remove from Council's text the potentially harmful restriction whereby a temporary stay in the host state would be limited to "one year in principle".

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The House voted to endorse the Commission's proposals in its communication "designing tomorrow's education" which outline ideas on how to promote innovation with new technologies.

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This resolution, while acknowledging the ambitious goals set out in the Commission White Paper "Teaching & Learning", deplores the absence of genuinely additional funding to help realise these goals.

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Parliament voted to endorse the e-Learning initiative, which it regards as a top priority in the field of education. It highlights the importance of exchanges of best practice at all levels, stressing that everything depends on the training given to teachers and the access to training and education available to all individuals, throughout their lives. Apart from access it is also important to ensure that quality 'content' is available. Parliament calls on the Member States to devise priority measures for minorities and women and to try and reduce the cost of access to the new technologies and the internet.
Parliament is extremely keen that the Lisbon target of providing all schools in the EU with internet access by the end of 2001 should be reached and that by 2002 all teachers should have rapid access to the internet and a personal e-mail address. In addition, every pupil or student should have access to an e-mail address at their school or college. MEPs also want to promote flat-rate internet access rates for teaching establishments.

By the end of 2002 the Member States should make provision for training for as many teachers as possible, so that they can use the internet, high-speed networks, databases and multimedia networks, with the aim of creating a genuine digital culture by the end of 2003. The Commission is urged to continue its support for European networks such as 'European Schoolnet' and to draw up indicators to monitor the progress of the e-Learning initiative. Lastly, Parliament wants a system to be created for the mutual recognition of national qualifications in information technology.

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Responding to the Commission’s Broad Economic Policy Guidelines, MEPs approved a resolution calling on the Member States to undertake structural reforms of the capital, product and labour markets but at the same time ensure the provision of a high level of social services and environmental protection. There is a welcome for the Stockholm Council commitment to improve public finances, although Parliament wants to see the development of the environmental dimension.

On monetary policy and the role of the ECB, Parliament reaffirmed its support for the Bank’s prime role in combating inflation and thus laying the foundations for growth and employment. The reference in the draft resolution "welcoming the calm and collected policy by the European Central Bank" was deleted and a proposed amendment criticising the ECB's monetary policy was lost by 243 votes to 237 with 21 abstentions. Another proposed amendment supporting a Tobin style tax on speculative capital was lost by 301 votes to 190 with 11 abstentions. There is, however, a need for greater cooperation between the Member States in economic policy making, Parliament believes. Agreement on a Community patent, biotechnology and communication systems are other priorities and there is also support for opening up the public procurements market for defence contracts.

Furthermore, Parliament is dissatisfied with the present arrangements for formulating economic policy making at a European level and would like to see a change in procedures with a view to increasing Parliament’s role in the process.

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The amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is on the increase. Six million tonnes were generated in 1998 and this figure is expected to grow by 3%-5% a year. WEEE contains all kinds of dangerous substances, so disposing of it alongside municipal waste poses clear environmental hazards. The Commission has therefore proposed two directives, one on the disposal of WEEE and the other on the restriction of the use of hazardous substances in EEE (ROHS). The main goals of the two proposals are as follows:

Producer responsibility - Private households should be allowed to return used equipment to producers for disposal free of charge.
Separate collection - WEEE should be collected separately from other waste, with a target of 4 kg per inhabitant per year.
Better treatment and re-use/recycling - Treatment plants must be certified. Targets are laid down for re-use and recycling.
User information - Products should be labelled to show that they must not end up in the dustbin and users should be informed about the new system.
Dangerous substances - From 2008, alternatives must be found for the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBB and PBDE (which are flame retardants) in EEE. Some exceptions are laid down.

Parliament adopted a large number of amendments to the two proposals. The main changes were as follows:

WEEE

Separate collection - The Commission only wants a collection target of 4 kg per head per year. Parliament calls for a target of at least 6 kg.

Costs for historic products - The disposal of produc ts already in existence before the entry into force of the directive should be financed, according to the Commission, by all existing producers. Plenary says that disposal of such products should be financed collectively by all producers in proportion to their share of the market. Producers should be allowed for 10 years to display on product labels the costs charged for the disposal of historic products ("visible fee").

Deadline - The Commission wants a system for the collection of WEEE, as well as the financing arrangements for this system, to be set up within five years of the entry into force of the directive. Parliament wants this period shortened to 30 months.

Treatment - Parliament insists on the use of state-of-the-art recovery and recycling technologies. Treatment systems may be set up by producers collectively and/or individually.

Recovery - The Commission is setting recovery targets, to be met by 2005, for different categories of WEEE. Parliament wants tougher targets, for example for large household appliances such as washing machines or fridges.

Information - MEPs stress that consumers must be properly informed about the arrangements for ending the disposal of WEEE alongside household waste. Penalties would then be imposed on consumers who do not separate WEEE from household waste.

Categories of EEE covered - The Commission lists 10 categories. Parliament modifies the category of toys by adding leisure and sports equipment.

ROHS

Purpose - Parliament emphasises that the aim of this second directive must be to minimise the risks and the impact on the environment and human health of the production, use, treatment and disposal of WEEE.

Timeframe - Parliament wants the ban on dangerous substances to come into force not in 2008 but in 2006. It also says the list of substances should be extended in the light of scientific and technical progress.

Review - The directive must be reviewed by 2003. Parliament wants special attention to be paid to the impact of hazardous substances, in particular HFCs, PVC and other halogenated flame retardants. The Commission is asked to come forward with proposals for substituting brominated flame retardants.

Penalties - Parliament wants penalties to be imposed if the provisions of the directive are breached.

The House endorsed with amendment proposals establishing a list of "hazardous substances" to be phased out as part of legislation in the field of water policy

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