Ambition level of the new circular economy package

31.3.2015

Question for written answer E-005097-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Simona Bonafè (S&D) , Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D) , Matthias Groote (S&D)

When the Commission withdrew the circular economy and waste package against the express wish of a majority of Parliament, a commitment was made that a new proposal would be more ambitious.

Recent media reports of a senior Commission official speaking in public against high recycling targets, against resource efficiency targets, against the use of reduced VAT to boost the circular economy, against extended warranties, and in favour of possible exemptions from REACH rules for recycled plastics have raised some very serious concerns that the Commission will break its commitment to a new proposal being more ambitious.

Can the Commission assure us that a new proposal will indeed be more ambitious than the existing one, by putting recycling targets on the table with the same level of ambition, supported by waste prevention measures?

If the Commission is not able to provide a concrete answer to this question, then how is it possible for the abovementioned detailed comments to be made at a time when the Commission is still supposed to be investigating concrete proposals for a new circular economy package?

What are the Commission’s concrete ideas for removing barriers rather than using them to dismiss possible options?